Another Path Down The Same Road
by Roguejones
Summary: Diversion from 'last rites' on. there are sexy times, and then story and then there will be more sexy times and fluff. This is my first time both writing and publishing a fanfiction. pls review but be kind if you can. I'm kinda just sticking my toe in the water here. thanks.
1. Chapter 1

_Story begins after 'last rights', near the end of season 5._

 **Chapter One**

Killian has returned from the underworld and surprised Emma in the graveyard at Robins grave. After the initial shock wears off and explanations are given, the two of them start walking to Granny's diner to meet up with everyone else.

Emma just won't let go of Killian, afraid that he will fade away like a good dream and she will be left, once more, in despair.

Nearly at Granny's, Emma pulls Killian to a stop.

"Wait."

"What's wrong, love?"

A shy smile and blush begin creeping up her face.

"I think I just want you all to myself for a bit… is that okay?"

Killian gathers her up in his arms with a grin.

"Emma, you are the only one I came back here for, darling. I will go wherever you like."

Her smile turns slightly mischievous.

"Wanna hide out with me at… the house that you and my son picked out for us and then I appropriated as the dark one? She nervously rambles with a laugh.

Killian chuckles.

"Sure!"

They start walking in the direction of the house and Emma turns pensive.

"Does that make it 'my place' or 'OUR place'?...

I mean, we never really had…that talk." She says, glancing nervously at Killian.

Killian furrows his brow, considering as they walk.

"Well, let's say it's yours for now, and when things calm down a bit, and you feel the time is right, you let me know."

He swings Emma around to hold her in front of him. Leaning in close to catch her eyes, he brings her hand up to kiss as he continues.

"And then it can be OUR place." He finishes with a smile and kisses her sweetly.

They walk the rest of the way, holding hands and stealing glances at each other.

At the front door of her house, Emma turns to Killian.

"So, I have leftover Chinese food from two days ago and all three 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movies. What do you say? Movie marathon?"

She asks with a laugh.

Killian looks at her with amusement tinged with confusion.

"Movies are the moving pictures on the flat, black thing, correct?"

Still laughing, Emma pulls Killian over the threshold and gives him a fast kiss.

"Yes."

"Great. I'm in. [getting close to her again] Whatever you want, Swan. As long as you don't leave my arms tonight."

An hour or so later, there are takeout containers strewn across the coffee table and Emma's face hurts from laughing and smiling as Killian shouts and throws popcorn at the television in disgust.

"No self-respecting captain would abandon is ship just to chase a bloody monkey!"

Emma is lying on the couch with her head in Killian's lap; looking up, watching his face as he yells at the screen.

When she stops laughing to just marvel that Killian is really _here_ with her, it draws his attention and he looks down at her. They just stare at each other for a while; the movie forgotten.

Emma reaches up and slowly pulls Killian down by his shirt collar as she lifts herself up to place a tentative kiss on his lips. The sweetness of the kiss evaporates quickly. Emma tightens her grip on his collar and slides her hands into his black hair. Killian shifts his body slightly more over Emma's to deepen the kiss. His steel hook braced on the couch beside her, he uses his hand to caress her jawline and tilt her face up so he can press his mouth to her throat. Urgency building, Emma begins fumbling with the buttons on Killian's leather vest and she breathily mumbles,

"Off!" and he smiles into her collarbone and pulls Emma into an upright position as he quickly sheds the vest. She immediately begins running her hands all over his chest and starts in on the buttons of his shirt; Her lips following her hands.

Killian's breath is becoming laboured but he manages to ask,

"Perhaps we should plot a course somewhere towards a bed, love?"

Emma, her mouth busy, responds by standing and pulling him off the couch after her. She starts walking him backwards towards the stairs as she continues to rain kisses all over Killian's face and neck. He grins at her constant attention before deciding that she has been at the helm of this particular ship long enough.

Killian slips his hand beneath her shirt and grabs Emma around the waist as he pushes her back against the wall near the base of the stairs to kiss her madly. What started off playful and fun is now becoming frantic and intense. Crushing her against the wall, he pushes his erection into her as the curve of his hook slides against the skin of her ribcage. The coldness of the steel makes Emma gasp and Killian's hand slides up her other side, bunching her shirt between them and exposing her bare stomach. He groans into her lips at the feeling of her skin.

Emma hurriedly tugs at the remaining buttons of his shirt and helps him push it off his shoulders, taking care to not snag it on his hook. Her shirt soon follows his to the floor, leaving her black mesh bra as the only thing between them from the waist up. Killian begins dipping his kisses lower down her chest and slips hook and hand under Emma's thighs to hoist her up and wrap her legs around his hips. He turns and starts walking up the stairs with her. Emma motions in the direction of her bedroom when they reach the top of the stairs and Killian heads in that direction.

Inside the room, Emma gets a shock when Killian's boot kicks the door shut behind them and he drops her on the bed hard enough to make her bounce.

"Ooff! What the…?"

Emma looks up at Killian in confusion and annoyance and sees an evil grin cross his face.

"Sorry, love. But I need to slow this party down before it ends too soon."

He leans away from her, looking every bit the pirate that she first met, and continues.

"And I mean to take my time watching you unravel for me."

At his words, a thrill runs through Emma. She was expecting sweet Killian to make love to her but looking up at him now, she sees a definite return of 'Captain Hook'. He looks cocky, stubborn, greedy, lustful and just sightly dangerous. Emma's body responds to his change and her breath catches. Hook grins at her and stands back a little more to take in the sight of Emma; HIS Emma, laid out before him like a damn feast for a starving man. Suddenly he comes forward and slides his hook around one of her ankles. Grabbing the other ankle with his hand, he yanks Emma roughly towards him until her zipper bumps into his belt buckle.

"Oh!" is all she can say through the tingling sensations spiralling out from her apex.

Hook is moving very slowly now, leaning over her, trailing his fingers up her leg, and finally settling on the skin just above the waistband of her jeans, where he places a hot, wet kiss just inside her hipbone. Emma's eyes close and her head lolls back, anticipation making her incredibly wet for him already. Her head snaps back up when she feels his hook scrape lightly up her side and it feels like a thousand sparks going off under her skin. His hand pops the button on her jeans and pulls the zipper down with excruciating slowness as his hot kisses work their way up her stomach. Emma fists the bed sheets in both hands and allows the pirate to do as he wishes with her.

Hook curls a finger over her jeans waistband and slides his steel hook down the other side and starts pulling. Inch by torturous inch, he peels her pants down; following them with his mouth. He quickly presses a firm but lingering kiss to her mound as it is uncovered and Emma gives a short 'yelp' as her back arches involuntarily.

Hook looks up at her and his grin is devious. He stands up suddenly and strips her jeans away with a flourish. His sexy arrogance momentarily falters as he takes in the sight of Emma: splayed out before him in nothing more than some scraps of black mesh and lace, her hands gripping the sheets, her hair tousled out around her like a halo, her eyes closed and her lips parted and swollen from his kisses.

"Gods, Emma." He says when he finds his voice.

Emma opens her eyes and pins him with the sexiest gaze he has ever seen. Briefly floored, Hook recovers instantly when Emma's voice, low and gravelly with lust, beckons.

"Come back here, Pirate."

Grin back in place, Hook slides over her again.

"As you wish, darling."

And then he is kissing her again; ravishing her mouth with his, making her dizzy with desire.

Emma begins clawing at his belt buckle and has it off and flying across the room in seconds. Hook smiles against her lips.

"Easy, love. We have all night, don't forget." He says as he stills her suddenly busy hands with his.

"No. I want you now." She growls out. Tempted to give in to her demand, Hook decides on a better idea. Smile gone, he grabs both of her wrists and pins them to the pillow above her head. Emma gives him a pained, pouting look but he doesn't relent.

"Patience, love."

Emma lets out a frustrated 'huff' but stops resisting him.

Lying on his side now to hold her hands at bay, his steel hook has free reign on her body and he lightly scrapes it down the side of one breast. Emma arches her back again with a gasp. Loosening his grip on her wrists with a stern look that says 'stay put', Hook moves over her and cups her other breast. He gives her nipple a hard suck through the mesh of her bra and Emma squeals with pleasure as she grips his shoulders to hold him there.

Hook roughly grabs her wrists again and throws her arms back above her head, never ceasing his attention to her nipple. He pauses momentarily to snag the side of her bra with his hook and tear the mesh out of his way. Emma gets a surprising jolt and looks down to see the curve of cold steel sliding carefully over her wet, puckered tip.

By this time, Hook's erection is starting to get painful but he just can't help himself. He wants Emma begging for him before making her scream his name. He had meant it when he told her that he wanted this to take all night.

Hook grins as another thought takes hold.

'There's no reason she can't scream his name more than once, though.' He thinks to himself before returning his attentions to her. He once more takes her nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the peak as his hand slips down between them. A groan tears from Emma's throat as Hook cups her mound and then pushes the mesh aside with his fingers and slides them up and down the outside of her folds.

"Gods, you are dripping for me, Swan." Hook murmurs as he moves up to take her mouth again and swallow her moan.

"I could slide inside you without hardly having to push. Is that what you want, Emma? [she whimpers] Do you want my manhood inside you now, darling?"

As he rumbles naughty things in her ear, his fingers dip slowly inside her. Emma is about to burst from all the sensations shooting through her body. She can't take much more and Hook is taking her beyond anything she has ever felt. He has two fingers inside her now and Emma is getting so close to the edge of coming.

"Hook. Killian… please…" she cries out.

Hook soothes her with a kiss.

"It's alright, love."

Then all at once, his cold steel hook presses down on Emma's clit as his fingers inside her begin curling and thrusting. His mouth grabs a nipple and Emma screams as she falls apart completely.

The ripples of sensation go on forever, it seems and Hook is relentless as he prolongs her orgasm, making her come harder than she thought herself capable.

As the waves of pleasure start to calm, Hook gently removes his fingers from her and sticks them in his mouth as he moves over, next to her on the bed. His fingers come out of his mouth with a 'pop' and he grins at her with smug satisfaction.

He quirks an eyebrow at her.

"Enjoy yourself, love?"

Emma is boneless. She couldn't move if she tried. She wants to fire a sarcastic comment back at Killian but her mind is still cloudy and wonderful little after-shocks are making her twitch all over.

With an enormous sigh, Emma finally rolls towards Killian and stare at him, almost in disbelief.

"Holy CHRIST, Killian!"

He chuckles at her whilst drawing lazy circles on her hip with his fingers. Energy and sanity slowly returning to Emma, she tilts her chin up to place sweet kisses on his lips.

"That [kiss] was [kiss] absolutely [kiss] amazing [kiss]. I have **never** felt like that before. Ever."

Killian smiles at her.

"Well, two or so years of foreplay can account for a lot."

Emma mocks a scandalized expression.

"Are you being modest now, Pirate?" she asks before beginning a line of kisses down his neck and pushing him onto his back.

He gives her a saucy smile and a wink before she straddles him and whips off the remnants of her bra.

"I think it's your turn for some attention now, Captain" Emma says while running her fingers through the coarse hair covering his chest.

Killian stares up at her with burning eyes, marvelling again at her beauty and that she was all for **him.** Emma takes his hand and kisses it lightly before slipping her tongue out and around his fingers, never looking away from his eyes. Killian moans at the sight; his jeans getting tighter than before.

Emma moves herself over him a little bit, loving the friction of his jeans against the mesh of her panties, while she sucks his index finger into her mouth.

Killian's erection had reached a painful state ages ago but Emma was now sucking her own release off his fingers and he just had to know where his little minx was going with this. He doesn't have to wait long as Emma bends down to kiss him deeply. After a moment, she moves lower to kiss his chin and then the pulse point on his neck; her hands roaming all over his body. She starts to slowly move her hips against his erection.

Killian's hand and hook come up instantly to grab Emma's ass hard; his breathing becoming erratic as her kisses move even lower to his chest and stomach. Emma lifts her head and smiles at him as she mimics his earlier move and pulls his arms away from her ass and holds them above his head.

Killian, with her dangling breasts so close, takes the opportunity to suck a nipple into his mouth as she restrains him. Emma gasps in surprise and Killian grins widely.

"Sorry, love. Pirates don't always prefer to play fair."

With a sly smile, Emma replies.

"Well, if that's how you want to play, Captain…" and she holds his eyes as she sits up and glides her hand down her stomach and into her panties. Moaning at her own touch, she closes her eyes and throws her head back as she writhes against her own fingers. Killian reaches up to cup her breast but Emma bats his hand away. She slowly moves down his body so that she is kneeling directly over his strained erection, without touching it.

Killian, getting her idea, watches Emma's face as he hooks the sides of her panties and tugs them down. He groans at the sight of her fingers disappearing inside herself over and over.

"Ohh… darling. That is a beautiful sight… and is making me quite uncomfortable." He says in a shaky voice.

Emma brings her head back up to lock eyes with Killian and smile.

"Sorry babe. I'm not a total sadist."

She breathily laughs as she falls forward to brace her hands against his chest and grind her pussy into his erection. Pleased with Killian's surprised moan, Emma kisses him deeply before disappearing down his body, with one destination. Before his foggy brain catches up with what Emma intends, she has the front of Killian's jeans open and is reaching into his boxers for his cock.

Killian rears up off the bed after Emma rips off the rest of his clothes and encircles him with her hand, very gently.

"Careful, love. Or you might embarrass this old pirate." He warns.

Emma looks him straight in the eyes as she settles in and slowly sticks out her tongue to give the smallest of licks to the underside of his cock.

"Oh Gods, Emma!" he mutters, struggling to control himself.

Pausing a moment to make sure he is watching her again, Emma slowly opens her mouth and _just_ touches the head of his cock with her lips. Tiny flicks of her tongue have Killian shifting uncontrollably on the bed. When Emma closes in and sucks his whole considerable length into her mouth all at once, Killian almost loses himself.

"Fuck!" the expletive bursts from him as Emma starts humming around his length and moving her mouth up and down slowly.

Killian can't handle any more of this and he roughly grabs Emma's shoulder, pushing her off him and onto her back in record time. He falls between her legs and, holding his burning erection, pushes it against her pussy entrance. He stops short of pushing into her and manages to growl out her name in question.

"Emma?"

She answers him immediately.

"Yes!" with her assent, Killian thrusts his cock all the way inside her with one stroke.

His forehead drops to her shoulder in relief and Emma lets out a cry of pleasure. Killian mumbles against her neck.

"…perfect. So fucking perfect…"

Emma's hand goes to his hair, scraping his scalp with her fingernails; the other hand grabs his hipbone to hold him inside her. Killian looks up into Emma's eyes and pulls out slowly until only the head of his cock is in her.

"Killian! God, …Ah!"

A smirk is all he can accomplish before he sinks back into her.

Emma screams.

And Killian does it again; slowly out and then slamming back into her.

And again.

Emma is leaving red scratches all over his hips and back and then she struggles out,

"Killian, I need to… please, I need you to…"

He draws her into a deep kiss as his pace quickens.

"Gods, Emma… I love you." He yells as he thrusts once more and releases into her.

"I love you… Oh! Killian!" Emma screams her own release on the heels of his.

Emma and Killian clutch each other tightly as the intense waves of pleasure abate and all the tension fades from their bodies. Killian pulls Emma with him as he falls to the bed beside her, keeping them entwined.

For a long while, they both just stare at each other, trying to catch their breath.

When they have recovered slightly, Killian curls his fingers around Emma's neck and brings her close for a passionate kiss.

Looking extremely serious, he says to her,

"That, exceeded _all_ of my expectations, love. I had a suspicion that you and I would be bloody brilliant together, but _that_ , darling, was phenomenal."

Emma snuggles into his chest.

"I know. I am still stunned that that actually happened." She says, already starting to drift to sleep. She is half splayed over his body and his softening cock is resting comfortably inside her.

"Killian?"

"Yes, love?"

"Can you stay inside me? I just… you feel really right, right there."

Killian smiles without opening his eyes.

"I hadn't the slightest notion of moving until morning, love."

And with that, they slept sounder and deeper than either of them had in years.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

 _The next morning._

Killian sneaks up behind Emma, at the coffeemaker in the kitchen. His hair is damp and he is wearing nothing but a towel around his hips and the leather straps around his bicep and forearm that hold on his hook.

"Enough for two?" He rumbles in her ear as he slips his hand around to her stomach to caress her navel.

Emma sighs and melts back into him with a beautiful smile.

"I was going to bring some up to you when you got out of the shower."

Killian murmurs into her neck while nibbling and kissing it.

"Apologies, love. Had I known, I wouldn't have bothered with the towel." He replies; his steel hook toying with the hem of her over-sized NY Rangers jersey.

Emma presses her lips together and smiles slyly as she turns in his arms.

"Well, we still have a few minutes before the coffee is ready…"

Emma smiles expectantly at Killian and he returns her grin with interest. She drapes her arms around his neck and leans into him for a heady kiss. Killian steps in close, grinding the front of his towel against her. He streams hot kisses down her throat and without warning, picks her up and sits her gently on the kitchen counter. The cold counter makes Emma gasp and cling to Killian's shoulders while he steps between her legs to capture a scorching kiss.

When Killian discovers that Emma isn't wearing any panties under her jersey, his movements begin to getting wild; gripping her thigh and thrusting his towel clad self against her to make her moan as he bites down lightly on her neck.

Emma is panting with need and scraping her fingernails down Killian's back with a little more force than is called for as he makes it clear that he is about to drive himself into her, right here on the kitchen counter.

The coffeemaker buzzes and the lovers don't even pause.

What _does_ get their attention is the perfunctory knock at the front door, before it opens and is followed by the voice of Snow White.

"Emma?"

Her mother's voice is like ice water in Emma's veins. Her and Killian have frozen in awkward shock; they have no time to conceal what they were _clearly_ in the middle of doing.

Snow turns and spots them in the kitchen.

"Oh!" she hastily turns away.

"EMMA!" David chastises. He had walked in behind his wife, holding little Neal in his arms.

Snow gently takes David's arm and turns him and Neal to face away from them as she apologizes profusely.

" _So_ sorry! I am _so so_ sorry, Emma! You didn't come back to Granny's yesterday and we were worried about you because we knew you were so upset over Killia—"

Snow whips back around to face them suddenly.

"HOOK?! You're… Alive!" she blurts out.

Killian had backed away from Emma to help her down from the counter and to adjust his towel to a much more PG-rated position.

"Uh, Aye. I am at that."

Snow shakes her head in confusion and embarrassment while David looks over his shoulder at Emma and Killian, and deeming it safe to face them again, turns to glower at the lovers.

"But how?!" Snow continues.

Clearing his throat and straightening his towel, Killian explains in his usual concise way.

"Well, Zeus, as it seems, thought I should have another go of it, on account of us defeating Hades and saving him the trouble."

David forgets his anger at the pirate who had just been mauling his daughter, for a moment, as he adopts the same bewildered expression as his wife.

Killian took advantage of their brief speechlessness to make his getaway.

"Now that that is all settled, I think I'll dash upstairs and put some clothes on."

With a quick peck on Emma's lips, Killian darts up the stairs, holding his towel.

Nervous laughter bubbles up from Emma and she turns to pour herself a coffee and waits for her parents to speak. Snow and David are still stunned but they turn their attention to their daughter. David scowls and looks as stern as he can while holding a giggling toddler while a smile creeps up Snow's face.

"WOW!… just… WOW!" she exclaims.

David, misinterpreting her meaning, pipes up.

"You're damn right, 'WOW'! Does Hook _live_ here now?!" he says indignantly as Neal slaps him in the face with glee.

Emma and Snow turn to give David the same withering look and then pointedly ignore him.

Turning back to her mother, Emma shrugs awkwardly and gives a small smile.

"Yeah. He found me at the graveyard yesterday, just after you guys left. [Emma looks down into her coffee] I, um… didn't think Regina needed to see that Killian was back when…" she trailed off, thinking of Robin.

Snow finishes Emma's thought with a sad smile.

"… when Robin wasn't coming back. I get that."

Emma nods sadly and sighs.

"And to be honest, I kinda wanted to keep Killian all to myself for a little while too. It still hasn't really sunken in that he is _actually_ back." She says with a sweet smile and a furtive glance up the stairs.

"Of course."

Snow smiles at her daughter for a second and then jerks into action; grabbing David's arm with a meaningful look and manoeuvring him through the door as she speaks.

"Well, we should go and let you get back to- … uh… well, we should _go_!" she finishes awkwardly.

Emma follows them out as far as the door.

"Hey!" she calls to them as she leans against the doorframe holding her coffee in both hands.

Snow and David stop and turn back to her from the bottom of the porch steps.

"Thanks for checking up on me." She says with a truly grateful expression.

Snow runs back up the steps to hug Emma and whisper in her ear.

"We will call first, next time."

Emma chuckles and her mother pulls away enough to hold her hands and study her face. Making up her mind, Snow smiles brightly and starts rambling.

"Stay in hiding for another day or so. I'll cover for you and Henry can stay at our place. I'll leave some dinner for you on the porch tonight, too."

Emma laughs loudly.

"What?!"

Snow just keeps on smiling at her and then continues,

"You look happy, Emma. I can see it. You need time off between crises to be happy."

Killian comes bounding down the stairs behind them, fully clothed, and Snow lets Emma's hands drop.

"Just be happy, Emma." She finishes as she re-joins a grumpy looking David and a wriggly Neal.

"Thanks, Mom." Emma says with a blushing smile. She turns to close the door as her parents walk away but she catches Snow's comment to David.

"I've always wondered how the hook stays on…"

David disgustedly admonishes her.

"SNOW!"

"What? I've never seen him without a shirt on before!"

Emma shuts the door, laughing loudly as Killian stares at her with amused interest.

"Don't ask. Seriously."

She says as they turn, once more, towards the coffeemaker.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Emma and Killian have not left the house in days. They are living in a euphoric bubble of love, lust and takeout food.

But the day has finally come when they need to once again face the world. A sulky David had called to tell Emma to get her butt to work at the Sheriff's office a few seconds ago.

Emma ends the call and throws her phone back onto her bedside table with a pout before flopping back onto her pillow. An arm comes over her hip and she feels warm lips on the shell of her ear.

"I take it this means that your father has reached the limit of his patience with our absence."

Emma turns to face Killian, kissing his face all over.

"I don't think it's our _absence_ that he objects to."

He chuckles.

"You may be right, love."

Emma stops kissing him and sighs as she starts rolling away from him and out of the sanctuary of her bed.

"I'd better go shower before you convince me to stay in that bed with you." She says with regret while eyeing Killian's naked body strewn across her dishevelled bed, with obvious appreciation.

Killian smiles at her with bedroom eyes and stretches his arms behind his head to let Emma look her fill. And she does.

Emma takes her time admiring her pirate; making them both breathe a little unevenly.

With an exaggerated growl, she turns and stomps to the bathroom.

Killian gives her a few minutes to herself after he hears the water in the shower running. Then he swings his legs over the side of the bed, stands and stretches his sore muscles. His hook and holster already tossed carelessly on the bedside table, he saunters to the shower to join Emma.

He watches her from the bathroom door for a minute, eyes fixed to her hands rinsing soap from her body. A now-familiar ache starts in his gut, making his cock twitch as he steps forward and opens the shower door.

Emma turns to Killian with a knowing smile.

"Took you long enough."

And with that, she is sliding wet kisses and wet hands all over him. Killian closes his eyes and tips his head back into the spray as Emma nibbles on his neck and slides her hands down his chest to gently stroke his cock.

"Insatiable minx…" he says to the water and she smiles deviously.

After a few minutes of nuzzling and kissing, Emma carefully gets down on her knees in front of him and looks up. The look in Killian's eyes emboldens her and Emma leans forward to start licking and kissing his cock as she slides her hands over his thighs and around to his ass.

Killian reaches up and grips the top of the glass shower wall to steady himself as Emma takes him in her soft mouth.

"That feels so amazing, love." He says between moans.

Bringing Killian to the edge of orgasm with her mouth, Emma suddenly stands to throw an arm around his neck and the other on the wall. He lunges forward to crush her lips with his and grabs her leg, throwing it over his hip to plunge his cock inside her.

The lovers frantically fuck each other to completion and then brace themselves against the shower, panting heavily.

"Well, that was, honestly, the most fun that I've had in the water."

He says to her with an impressed smile. Emma grins back at him.

"That's quite the complement, Captain."

Killian blows out a big breath.

"That was quite the shower, love."

Emma emerges from the shower, closely followed by Killian, both of them sporting wide grins and more than a few new scratches.

Killian wanders over and grabs his hook and holster off the bedside table and absently starts wrapping the leather straps around his arm as he leans against the wall and watches beads of water roll down Emma's bare back.

"Are you absolutely certain that you need to go to work, darling?"

Emma turns around with an amused smirk to see his eyebrow quirked in her direction and a hungry grin on his handsome face.

She sighs.

"Ya. Sorry. Apparently, my father can only ignore what we are doing here and my mother can only run interference for so long. Besides, at some point we _will_ need some real food."

She turns back to face her dresser to pick out her underwear for the day and she feels Killian come up behind her and press his hot mouth to the back of her neck and lightly scrape the point of his hook up the length of her spine.

"I couldn't convince you to stay with me a little longer and play… 'hooky'?"

Emma gasps and arches her back before laughing.

"I thought I did that in the shower."

She murmurs back at him with a laugh. Sobering slightly with a frustrated groan, she continues, sighing.

"Tempting. But I can't. I have run out of excuses to miss work and people are asking for me."

Killian presses a firm peck to her shoulder and steps back.

"Very well, Swan. I will not stand between you and your duties. But expect a prompt pirate incursion at lunchtime."

Emma smiles slyly over her shoulder at him from her closet.

"Now, I _know_ we did that last night…"

Killian grins widely and starts stalking Emma across the room. She squeals and starts running away before he tackles her to the bed.

Sometime later, Emma _finally_ gets dressed and hurries off to work with a kiss and a coffee.

Killian is at Granny's diner, picking up lunch for Emma and his mobile rings. He awkwardly fumbles to answer it.

"Yes?"

"Hook?" says an irritated voice.

"David. What can I do for you, mate?" he cheerily replies as he shifts the phone to hold it against his shoulder as he accepts the paper bag of burgers and onion rings from Granny. He gives her a silent nod of thanks for the food and starts for the door.

"You can relinquish my daughter, pirate!" David announces with disgust.

Killian stops at the door of the diner, taken aback.

"Pardon?"

David's annoyance increases.

"Stop… doing whatever you two are… doing, so that Emma can come to work."

Confusion giving way to alarm, Killian slowly responds.

"Emma left for the station this morning, mate. I was just heading over there myself, to bring her some lunch."

After a long pause on both ends of the call, Killian swings the diner door wide and charges out towards the sheriff's station.

"See you in a moment, mate." He bites out into the phone before pressing 'end' and breaking into a run.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Emma wakes up in a dark, dank place, lying on a stone floor. Head pounding and very disoriented, she looks around with one eye cracked open, holding her head.

"What the…"

She sees iron bars and closes her eyes in irritation.

" _Why_ does this keep happening to me?!" she mutters to herself before running to the locked bars and yelling.

"HEY!"

A figure moves in the shadows and Emma speaks to them.

"What the hell is going on here? What do you want with me?"

Th shadowy figure pauses and then quietly says,

"Une moment, si voux plais." Before they disappear down the dark corridor.

"Wait! What?..."

Emma calls after them, but they are gone. She sinks to the floor in resignation.

"Well, I think that's the first time I've been imprisoned by someone who doesn't speak English." She muses to herself.

A few minutes later Emma hears frantic footsteps coming towards her and she stands up cautiously.

A slightly scrawny teenage boy comes to a stop at the door of her cell, out of breath. He looks like he's a couple years older than Henry and is dressed in rags from the middle ages.

"Mademoiselle, pardonne-moi…"

Emma stares at him blankly.

"What?! I don't speak… that!" she says, gesturing in his direction.

The boy shakes his head and replies in broken English.

"I am sorry. I was to be with you when you are awake."

Confusion replacing cautiousness, Emma approaches the cell door.

"Okayy… so I get the feeling you don't want me dead. So, what exactly am I doing here? [Emma looks around] and where is here?"

The boy puts his hands up in 'wait' motion.

"You first must know that no harm is intended for you here, from us. We have brought you to Paris to ask you to help us."

More puzzled than ever, Emma holds her questions with an effort, until he finishes.

He sighs.

"My name is Quasimodo. [Emma's eyes snap to his face] Yes, good. So you know something of my story."

At her nod, he goes on, his expression turning sheepish.

"I am afraid that I have made a mess of things here in Paris and this is why we need you."

Emma shakes her head and studies his face for a moment as she paces in her cell.

"None of this makes any sense, kid."

Quasimodo falls to his knees in front of Emma's cell with his head in his hands.

"Je connais."

Emma stops her pacing and sits on the floor opposite him.

"Okay. Why don't you start at the beginning and explain your 'mess' to me." She watches him nod into his hands and then look up at her in despair.

"It is all my fault."

He sighs and gathers his thoughts for a moment.

"I was born with monstrous deformities and was abandoned to die as an infant. Master Frolo found me and took me to the church to be raised. He even named me."

Quasimodo says, ending with a sad smile.

Emma reaches through the bars to bump his shoulder and give Quasimodo an encouraging smirk.

"You look okay to me, kid."

He returns her smirk for a moment and then continues with his story.

"I grew up in the belfry of Notre Dame, hidden away and destined to watch everyone else lead their free lives from afar."

"…with the singing gargoyles…" Emma mumbles.

"What?" Quasimodo asks with a bewildered expression.

"Nevermind. So what changed?" she asks.

Quasimodo's face falls and he drops his head again.

"I made a deal."

Emma closes her eyes and softly bumps her forehead against the bars upon hearing that familiar phrase, but she doesn't interrupt.

"Every night since I can remember, I have begged the universe to give me a free life: to cure me of my horrific appearance. That night, the universe sent a man to me who could do what I so wished. I thought it a dream at first; when the man came to me."

Quasimodo says wistfully before looking Emma dead in the eye and saying,

"I have doomed an entire people to persecution and death in exchange for appeasing my own vanity."

He began sobbing into his hands and Emma awkwardly petted his shoulder through the bars of her cell.

"I get wanting to be a normal kid: lead a normal life. Really. I do."

She blows out a huge breath.

"The man. The one who came to make your deal; do you remember his name or what he looked like?"

Emma asks, afraid that she already knows the answer.

Quasimodo looks up at her through his tears and trying to control his emotions, replies,

"He did not look like an ordinary man. He… sparkled and spoke in riddles."

Emma tamps down on the rage building in her chest and quietly curses.

"Rumpelstiltskin."

Quasimodo looks at her in confusion.

"Qua?"

Emma stands up and resumes her pacing.

"I know the man who made you that deal. He has made a lot of deals with a lot of people I know."

Quasimodo jumps to his feet and clutches the bars between them, with a look of desperation.

"You know of him?! Can you get him to reverse what he has done?"

Emma shakes her head.

"Not likely. I've never known Gold to break a deal unless there's something in it for him."

"Gold?" Quasimodo inquires.

"Just one of his names." Emma dismisses before turning pensive and glancing at Quasimodo.

"I've also never known him to come away from a deal without gaining more than what he traded for it… What did you give him in return, kid?"

Quasimodo shakes his head and raises his hands in bafflement.

"All he wanted from me was a drop of my blood. [he shrugs] That's all."

Emma thinks on that information for a minute.

"Well, it would have been something he needed for his own ends. Not knowing what his end game is this time, let's focus on the most pressing problem."

At Quasimodo's questioning look, Emma nods to the bars of her cell.

"Which is me, not being very much help to you from the inside of this cell."

He gives her another sheepish look and fumbles in his pockets. Finding the key to the door, he apologizes and unlocks it.

"We had to know that you would help us."

Emma walks through the door saying,

"Fair enough but we really need to get this little venture happening before my family starts magicking their way across realms to find me."

Quasimodo starts walking quickly down the corridor with Emma beside him.

"How do you know that they will look for you?" he asks.

With a determined chuckle, she answers.

"Trust me, kid. They're coming."

"EMMA?!" Killian shouts as he bursts through the door of the Sheriff's office.

David meets him at the door, equally as panicked.

"She's not here. I've called Snow and Regina, but she's not with them either. They're both on their way here now."

Killian tosses the paper bag of food on a desk and turns back towards the doors.

"Fine. I'm going out to retrace her walk to work. You wait for the cavalry, mate." He says as he throws the doors open once more and storms out before David can argue.

Killian is walking fast and looking around frantically as he makes his way down the sidewalk.

Regina appears beside him in a 'poof' of purple smoke but Killian barely acknowledges her.

"So it's true. We've regained a pirate and lost a saviour."

She remarks in her usual dry tone.

Killian stops walking and glares at her, ready to pick a fight but Regina holds up her hands in mock surrender.

"Sorry. I am a little… touchy, these days." She says, looking down uncomfortably.

Killian takes a deep breath and runs his hand over his face before responding.

"It's fine. Robin was a good man and I considered him a great friend. I'm sorry he was taken from you, Regina."

She gives a slight nod in Killian's direction and then starts walking in the direction he was heading when she arrived.

"To be honest, it's nice to have a distraction. Not just from the grief but from my new sister-turned-roommate, as well."

Killian glances at her in surprise.

"The witch is staying with _you_?"

Regina sighs.

"Yes. [she forces a smile] So, a little search party for a wayward friend is just what I need right now."

Killian looks dubious but allows her to change the subject.

"As you wish. Well, Emma left the house at about 8:30 this morning and she had a coffee in her hand so she wouldn't have to stop at the diner on the way to the station."

Regina raises an eyebrow, gives Killian a sideways glance and a knowing smirk.

" _You_ were at her place when she left this morning? Finally caught a break, huh?"

Killian flashes his dimples for a moment and answers.

"Aye. A _long_ overdue break."

Regina gives a small chuckle before stopping and stepping off the sidewalk to retrieve something in a flower bed.

"Would _this_ be her coffee cup?"

She holds up a novelty travel mug with a cartoon cobra on it. Killian slowly takes it from Regina and nods sadly.

"Henry gave it to her on her birthday last year." He says, cradling the cup in his hand.

Killian looks up at Regina with a pleading look she has never seen on him before.

Regina straightens herself up and holds out her hand for the cup again.

"Enough of this. Give me that."

Killian gives her the cup and Regina concentrates on it for a moment before waving her hand over it. The air around them starts to shimmer with all sorts of bright colours.

Killian raises his eyes to Regina in question.

"What's that doing?"

Regina furrows her brow at the swirling colours.

"It was _supposed_ to tell us who's magic, if any, was used to take Emma."

Killian looks at her hopefully.

"AND?!"

Regina looks irritated and gives Killian the cup back before planting her hands on her hips and replying.

"And magic was definitely used but I don't recognize it."

At Killian's frustrated grunt, she looks him in the eye and clarifies.

"I've never seen magic like this like this before. [her eyes drift across the street to Gold's shop and she smiles] But I think I know who to ask." She finishes and begins walking towards the shop with Killian in her wake.

"The Crocodile? He won't exactly fall all over himself to help the likes of _me_ , now will he?"

Regina ignores him and pushes the shop door open; the bell over the door ringing her arrival.

"Gold!" she shouts into the empty store front as Killian hangs back to try to diminish his presence.

Mr. Gold walks through the curtain from the back room.

"I am not accustomed to being shouted at in my own shop, your highness." He says with more than a hint of warning.

Regina just smiles sweetly at him and speaks.

"Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but it's an emergency."

Gold smiles at her coldly, glancing at Killian, letting him know that he is being watched.

"When is it not?"

Regina ignores the question and continues.

"We need to identify a magic signature. It's one that I've never seen before."

Appearing slightly intrigued, Gold leans closer to her and says matter-of-factly,

"And why would I help you?"

Killian, who had been absently perusing the shop counters, throws up a hand in an I-told-you-so fashion. Regina, however, smiles wider at Gold, prepared for his reluctance.

"You will help us, Dark One, because the friend of your very angry wife is missing and helping us find Emma will go a long way in getting you back into Belle's good graces." She finishes with a satisfied grin.

Gold studies Regina for a moment before asking with a sneer.

"What is it that you want from me, specifically?"

Killian, impressed with Regina's successful manipulation of Gold, walks in closer to hear the conversation.

Regina gets down to business.

"What kind of magic smells old but looks like swirling rainbows?"

A fleeting look of recognition crosses Gold's face before he tamps it down. Killian points his hook at Gold in accusation.

"He knows! I saw that, mate." He says, spitting out the last word as a curse. Regina just waits expectantly, watching Gold.

Gold sighs in resignation.

"Fine. It's not like it matters to me anymore. Nor will it help you very much, I'd wager. The magic you saw is Gypsy."

Gold grins evilly at both of them.

"I think I know _exactly_ where Ms. Swan is _and_ who took her but I'm afraid _that_ information will cost you a lot more than vague promises concerning my wife."

Killian nearly launches himself over the counter at Gold but is held back by Regina.

"Tell me where Emma is, you bloody swine!"

With a hand holding Killian at bay, Regina glares over at Gold.

"What do you want, Gold?"

He places both hands on top of his cane and gives them a satisfied smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"So, I feel weird calling you Quasimodo. Do you have a nickname or something?"

Emma asks as they make their way down the dim corridor.

"No one has ever called me anything else." Quasimodo says, as if the question has never occurred to him before. Emma is silent for a minute.

"How about I just call you Q?"

Quasimodo says it to himself quietly and then brightens noticeably.

"Yes! I like that. I will be Q." he says and walks on with a proud smile. Emma can't help but smile back at him.

"So, Q. Where are we going?"

He turns serious again.

"The only place where we are still safe from Frolo; The Court of Miracles. We will meet with the Elder and form a plan."

Emma nods and ponders before replying.

"I was kinda hoping that there already was a plan, but okay."

Q begins to explain to her the plight of the gypsies as he and Emma walk.

"All Gypsies have been forced underground by Frolo and his persecution. The Court of Miracles is the only free place left for them in Paris because it is hidden."

Emma absorbs that for a moment and then asks him,

"I still don't really understand what you want _me_ to do for you here."

Q looks at her with a look of incomprehension.

"You are a saviour."

He states, as if that explains everything.

"Yeah. Okay but that doesn't mean that I can just wiggle my nose and save the day."

Q walks on for a while, thinking intently, before a look of determination comes over his face.

"The Elder will know what needs to be done."

They come out of the corridor into, what looks like, an underground marketplace. There are brightly coloured shop stalls and tents crowded into this huge square where people were bustling around everywhere.

Many people look curiously at Emma's unusual clothing but other than one teenage girl who runs away at the sight of Emma, no one else takes much mind of her.

Emma and Q make their way through the camp town to a large tent at the centre. Q addresses the guard outside in French and after a few back and forths, they are admitted and seated on cushions in a large comfortable looking room filled with pillows and tapestries.

Sitting at the head of a long, low table, there is a woman older than anyone Emma has ever seen. Q is showing her quiet respect and Emma follows suit.

The old crone watches Emma with a studying gaze and silently offers her some tea from the teapot steeping in front of her. Emma accepts the tea with a nod of thanks and takes a sip.

And nearly chokes.

Emma coughs and swallows, so as not to offend the Elder, but the spicy tea burns all the way down her throat and starts giving her head the spins.

The Elder continues to stare at Emma as if expecting this reaction, and then motions to the large wooden bowl of water on the table.

Emma peers into the bowl and blinks in shock.

"Whoa!" she says as she looks at the swirling colours that change to form into a vision of Killian and Regina talking intently but Emma can't hear them.

"What?..."

Emma begins but is cut off by two words from the Elder.

"The present."

Emma is confused and unsure what she is meant to glean from this vision but the dizzy feeling is making her irritable and impatient.

"Okay. They are probably wondering where the hell I went." What does this have to do with what you want me to do here?"

Q nervously looks from Emma to the Elder and back a few times. Not receiving a response from the Elder, Emma continues.

"Look, I have people that I would very much like to get back to, so can we skip the cryptic crap and get to the part where you tell me how to get destiny back on track, so I can get back to my people?"

Her outburst hangs in the air for a moment with Q looking at her with his mouth open.

Finally the old woman shrugs and grins a toothless smile as she replies,

"I thought you would like to see your love before we begin and the tea will help with the language problem."

At Emma's speechless expression, the old woman cackles gleefully and goes on with a wide grin.

"It was very difficult for us to extricate you from his arms. [she looks at Emma slyly] I was young once, too." She offers as explanation.

Emma quirks her head at the Elder in amused confusion and Q sits there with a completely baffled expression.

The Elder puts the teapot to one side and looks at Emma soberly.

"To business, then."

She folds her hands in her lap and leans forward on her cushion.

"We need you to kill a man."

Emma's shocked expression freezes on her face and the Elder clarifies.

"She must kill Frolo to fulfil the destiny that you have forfeited." She says, looking to Q. Having said her piece, the Elder is silent once again.

Emma recovers finally.

"You want me to _KILL_ someone? That's not exactly what I do. I mean, I'm supposed to be more of a 'bringer of happy endings' rather than a [she struggles to find the right words] … gun for hire!"

Q is looking equally as upset by this revelation and murmurs to himself.

"It was my destiny to murder Master Frolo?..."

The Elder seems bored by their reaction and begins to rise, saying,

"That is what needs to be done to save the people." And she shuffles off to another room of the tent.

Q ushers Emma out of the tent and they both stand outside the entrance to let the old crone's words sink in. Q looks completely gob-smacked.

"I had no idea that was what I…, you…" he stops awkwardly and just stares at the stone floor. Emma starts trying to console the boy but her attention gets stolen by screams on the other side of the square. Some shouting has Q's head snapping up and he and Emma start moving towards the disruption.

A voice bellows out.

"WHERE IS THE WITCH?"

The blood drains from Q's face.

"Noooo…" he whimpers, seeming to collapse in on himself.

By now, Emma can see that soldiers are filling the camp town, rounding people up. A sudden 'bang' sounds above everyone's heads and a dense powder drifts down, causing a few people to cough and splutter. Emma coughs wildly and she feels a burning sensation run through her body.

When the air clears, Emma sees a very pompous looking man in official robes standing amidst the soldiers. His voice resonates again.

"SHOW ME THE WITCH!"

Q crumbles to the ground, mumbling.

"No, no, no,…"

Emma stoops to comfort Q, laying a hand on his shoulders, but keeping a wary eye on the commotion happening in the crowd.

Emma looks up to see the teenage girl that had run from the sight of her, standing by the shouting man. She is scanning the crowd and locks eyes with Emma. The girl raises her hand slowly to point directly at Emma, wearing an expression of deep regret.

The ugly pompous man sneers triumphantly and shouts orders at his guards.

"SEIZE THAT WOMAN!"

Emma stands, taking a defensive stance in front of Q. She tries to repel the encroaching guards with her magic, but nothing happens. Looking down at her hands in shock, the guards roughly grab and hold her as the pompous man approaches.

"Having trouble with your devil magic, witch?" he says grinning widely at her.

Emma struggles slightly against the guards and addresses the ugly man.

"Let me guess, you must be this Frolo guy." She says bravely.

"Indeed. And you are just another witch for the fires." He says dismissively before turning to the guards.

"Take her." He says with a wave of his hand.

Q is quivering at Frolo's feet.

"…master… please…"

"Out of my way, _BOY_!" he says as he kicks Q aside. He turns to the teenage girl, who now has silent tears streaming down her face. He drops a small sack of gold at her feet without looking at her and walks away.

Regina walks faster to keep up with Killian, who is barrelling down the sidewalk, away from Gold's shop.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

Killian doesn't slow down as he answers her.

"The Crocodile wants us to convince Belle's father to wake her in exchange for Emma's location. So that's exactly what I'm going to do." He says determinedly.

Regina grabs his shoulder and whips him around to face her.

"And just how do you intend to do that, walking in the opposite direction to Maurice's flower shop?" she says, glaring at him.

Killian matches her glare and steps closer to say,

"I may not know what will convince the man to wake his daughter from the damned sleeping curse, but I _do_ know three of the most knowledgeable people around on the topic of sleeping curses. And _two_ of them, are _this_ way." He finishes, giving her a pointed look, before turning on his heel to continue stalking away in the direction of the Sherriff's office.

Regina takes a moment to recover from his verbal slap to the face before catching up to him again.

"So, I suppose it's time to confer with the Charmings, is it?"

He gives a curt nod, without looking at her.

"Aye."

He rounds the last corner to the Sheriff's office and stomps up the steps and pushes the door open, holding it for Regina impatiently.

"David!"

David comes running down the hall towards them with Snow hot on his heels.

"Did you find her?" he asks, stopping in front of Killian and Regina.

"No. But we have a way to." Killian replies.

At their puzzled expressions, Regina picks up the narrative.

"Gold knows where Emma is but refuses to tell us unless we convince Maurice to wake Belle with true love's kiss." She sums up.

Snow, visibly agitated by this new information, asks,

"Wait. Why is Rumpelstiltskin involved? What did you find out there?"

Killian interjects anxiously.

"We found Emma's coffee cup in the bushes, Regina did a spell and found magic that the Crocodile identified as Gypsy but he is holding further information from us until we resolve this dispute with Belle's father."

David gives a humourless smile.

"Succinct as always, pirate. [smile dropping] What's our next move?" he asks, looking around all of them.

Killian throws his hand up in agitation.

"Well we have Storybrooke's foremost on sleeping curses standing right here. Surely we can come up with some sort of convincing argument for the man to wake his daughter."

He pauses for a moment while they rest think. Lowering his voice and adopting a distinctly 'piratey' expression he says,

"Barring that, I'm quite ready for a spot of violence this afternoon."

David, eyeing Killian warily, responds slowly.

"Well, let's call that 'plan B'."

Meanwhile, Snow has been pondering intently.

"Does he know how much pain she is in?"

Snow looks up at the others and they wait for her to continue.

"I mean, we all know that 'sleeping' curse is a bit of a misnomer, right? It's less 'sleeping' as it is 'trapped in a fiery nightmare'. Does Maurice know that?"

David picks up his wife's train of thought, first and warms to the idea.

"Well, let's go enlighten him!"

Killian holds the doors open again for them all as they all start walking out. David gives Killian a sideways glance as he walks by him, saying quietly,

"And if that doesn't work, a bit of violence might…"

Killian grins eagerly at David and follows the rest down the street.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six**

 _Killian's hands are all over her. His mouth is making Emma whimper with pleasure as it moves across her thigh towards her center._

" _Killian…?"_

 _He glances up at her in question._

" _Talk to me…" she says with lustful eyes._

 _Killian grins_

" _You want to have a discussion right now?"_

 _Emma smiles._

" _No. I want to listen to your voice while you doing naughty things to me."_

 _Killian starts shifting himself up her body, stopping to pay special homage to her stomach, breasts, chest, neck and jaw before kissing her passionately._

" _You've put me on the spot now, darling. What would you like me to say?"_

 _Emma blushes slightly and confesses to him._

" _It doesn't matter. You could be reciting a restaurant menu and your voice would make me wet."_

 _Killian's eyebrows went up in surprise._

" _Really? Well I think we need to put that to the test at Granny's next time." He says with a dark look._

" _But as for right this minute…"_

 _Killian moves over Emma and brushes his erection against her folds, making her moan._

" _And that's one of my favourite sounds from_ your _mouth, Love." He says with a smile._

" _Suppose we were at Granny's, and I was whispering that long menu in your ear, darling…"_

 _Killian caresses Emma's thigh as he begins pushing himself into her excruciatingly slowly as he murmurs into her ear._

" _I'm not sure I would be able to behave myself, darling. My hand may wander over to find out exactly how hot and wet my words are making you."_

 _Emma is panting and getting so close to coming, his voice rumbling in her ear, pushing her that much higher before she falls._

" _I may have to take you out the back door at Granny's so I can pull your jeans down and taste how much you want me..."_

 _Killian loses track of his words as they both get perilously close to the edge. The pace of his thrusts become frantic._

" _Oh, Gods, Emma… "_

" _Killian! God, I'm… gonna… Ahhh.."_

"Hey! Are you Alright?" a strange voice says, waking Emma from her wonderful dream.

She desperately tries to get back to Killian in her mind, but reality is encroaching and he slips away, leaving Emma all worked up and very irritable.

"Dammit."

Emma sits up, rubbing her head, she looks at the iron bars in front of her and curses again .

"Are you kidding me?" she says to bars before looking around for the owner of the concerned voice.

Emma sees a darkhaired girl watching her from the cell beside her and he scoots closer.

"Hey. So, where am I this time?"

The girl's expression turns from worry to sadness.

"Frolo's prison. We are awaiting trial. I am glad that you are alright; I was worried for you. The guards hit you very hard and you were lifeless for so long."

Emma winces, remembering the rough treatment of Frolo's guards.

"Well, that explains the _second_ massive bump on my head. I'm gonna have to start worrying about brain damage if this keeps up."

The girl looks at Emma oddly.

"Qua?"

Emma stops rubbing her head to study her new potential ally. The girl is about the same age as Henry, with striking features, black hair and bright blue eyes.

A pang of hurt blooms in Emma's chest as she realizes whose eyes they remind her of; her own dark beauty, whom she left naked and smiling in her bed. Emma looks around seeing that it is night time here: was it only this morning that she had left Killian?

Thinking of her pirate opens the floodgates to thoughts of Henry, her Mom, her Dad,…

Emma gives herself a mental shake and stands up, needing to take action instead of getting lost in painful thoughts.

"We need to get out of here." She says as she blasts the bars of her cell with her magic.

Or tries to.

Emma looks down at her hands in disbelief again.

"Your magic will not work." The girl says matter-of-factly.

"What? Why?" Emma asks, looking stunned.

The girl explains.

"Frolo has discovered a way to block our magic. It is a powder that he explodes over us, so we breathe it in. [she puts her hand through the bars, towards Emma] I am Esmerelda."

Emma slumps to the floor once more, shakes Esmerelda's hand, sighs and smiles.

"Of course you are…"

"I'm Emma. So, what are you in for?"

Esmerelda shrugs.

"The same as you, I assume: witchcraft."

Emma softly bumps her head against the wall as the pieces start falling together in her head.

"The girl."

"Sorry?"

"The girl at the Court of Miracles. Frolo paid her to point me out."

Esmerelda nods her head sadly.

"Yes, Frolo has his spies everywhere."

Emma considers for a moment.

"But how did she know about me? I mean I _just_ got here."

Esmerelda answers in a bored tone.

"She was probably told to report anyone new."

"Hell of a welcoming committee."

Emma hears heavy boots coming down the hall towards them.

"So what happens now?" she asks Esmerelda, as the guards stop in front of both of their cells to unlock the doors. The guards grab Emma and Esmerelda roughly and Esmerelda looks at Emma through brave tears.

"Now we burn."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Maurice is walking stiffly between Killian and David down the sidewalk towards Gold's pawn shop.

"I didn't know, you know…" he says with a look of dismay.

Killian continues ushering him forward in stony silence, as Maurice babbles nervously.

"I thought she was just _asleep_. I was going to wake her eventually, I swear."

David, sympathizing but impatient, asks,

"What exactly were you waiting for?"

Maurice looks at him with colour creeping up his face.

"Frankly, I was waiting for one of you to kill Rumpelstiltskin."

All four heroes stop and turn to Maurice with annoyed expressions, until Killian prompts him along again, saying,

"Well it's not just about Belle anymore, mate. Bloody Dark One holds Emma's fate in his greedy hands as well now." He says angrily.

Maurice hangs his head as he shuffles forward.

"She won't leave him. Especially now that she carries his child." He says hopelessly.

Snow stops short for a moment in surprise.

"Belle is pregnant?!" she exclaims.

Maurice nods his head sadly.

The group approach the pawn shop and Maurice stops Killian with a hand on his shoulder.

"How do you live with what the Dark One did to you?"

Taken aback by the pleading look in the man's eyes, Killian blurts out the brutal truth.

"I became a villain." He says, before continuing.

"It took the love of a saviour to pull me away from that fate. I wouldn't recommend using me as a role model, mate."

Maurice sighs sadly and enters the shop, shuffling past Killian who is holds the door.

David gives Killian a supportive hand on the shoulder as he walks by him and Snow smiles encouragingly. Whatever David's issues are with what the pirate does with his daughter, he knows that their love is true.

Gold is waiting for them in the store front and wordlessly escorts them to the back room where Belle lies sleeping on the small bed.

Maurice, with tears in his eyes, bends to kiss Belle's forehead.

"Thank you." Gold says quietly behind him, causing Maurice to hesitate.

"I'm not doing this for _you_ , Dark One. I do this for Belle and for Emma Swan." He says indignantly.

Gold ignores the comment and Maurice presses a kiss to Belle's forehead. The expected 'whoosh' of magic pushes all of them back a step.

Belle's eyes start to flutter open and Maurice stands, and backs away as Gold comes forward to her. Unable to bear the sight of his daughter in the arms of the Dark One, Maurice turns and walks out.

As Belle becomes more awake, Killian gives her and Gold a few moments before growling out,

"Crocodile… you got what you wanted yet again. Now tell us where Emma is."

A confused frown begins on Belle's face as Gold kisses her softly, before turning to the others gathered around them.

"Indeed. I believe Ms. Swan is in the same world that our fine Dr. Whale comes from."

Pausing for effect, he goes on.

"Specifically, I believe she is in Paris. I made a deal there recently and the repercussions of that deal may be coming to bear."

David interjects.

"A deal? With who?"

But Killian yells over him.

"What the bloody hell does that have to do with Emma?"

Gold looks from David to Killian with annoyance.

"I believe I may have disrupted quite a few lives when I traded the cripple for his destiny."

At everyone's perplexed look, Gold opens his mouth to continue. But he is cut off by an angry Belle, standing behind him.

"GOD! For once in your life, Rumple, speak plainly. Tell them what they need to know!"

Gold turns to his wife, stunned momentarily, and then explains.

"I needed the 'blood of broken destiny'. I was trying to wake you with a spell that required it. But obviously, it didn't work. I made the deal with a cripple, Quasimodo. I gave him his wish of a more appealing visage, in exchange for his blood. He was destined to be the saviour of Paris and now, I suspect, he has outsourced that job to Ms. Swan."

Belle glares at Gold and he waits with resignation, for her to speak.

Killian and the others start making their way out of the back room awkwardly as Belle lays into Gold.

"It's always the same with you, isn't it? It never matters who's life you may ruin, as long as _you_ get what you want."

Shaking his head, Gold begins trying to defend his actions.

"I did it for _you_ , Belle. For you and our child." He says pleadingly.

Belle shakes her head and starts moving towards the door.

"I don't want to hear it anymore, Rumple."

Belle says furiously as she leaves to follow the others outside.

 _Outside Gold's Pawn Shop_

Regina walks out the door behind the rest, smiling gleefully.

"Does anyone else get a real kick out of hearing that tiny bookworm tear strips off the Dark One?" she saying looking around at Killian, David and Snow.

David and Snow both try to smother their smirks but Killian gives Regina a smile of agreement before returning to his worried frown.

Snow changes the subject back to the matter at hand.

"Okay, Well, we know where Emma is. How do we get to her?"

Regina replies quickly.

"I'll go get Zelena and the Sorcerer's wand. Where should we meet you?"

"The Jolly Roger." Killian says firmly.

"Fine."

And Regina disappears in a puff of smoke.

That decided, Snow turns to David, as Belle walks up to them.

"I should call the Blue Fairy to ask her to watch Neal a bit longer."

Belle tentatively counters that idea.

"Don't worry about bothering Blue. I can take care of Neal with Henry's help. [she looks at them sheepishly] That is, if you don't mind me staying at your place. I… don't really have any place to stay at the moment."

Snow grins at her.

"That's perfect! And of course we don't mind you staying at our place. You can stay there as long as you need to."

Killian, who has been respectfully, however, impatiently, waiting for the details to be settled, pipes up.

"Great. That's settled, then. So, let's go meet with Regina and the witch at my ship." He says as he turns and starts marching towards the docks.

 _Aboard the Jolly Roger_

Killian, David and Snow busy themselves manoeuvring the Jolly Roger away from the dock and out into open water, when Regina and Zelena materialize on the deck with baby Robin.

Killian protests immediately.

"You can't bring an infant on a voyage like this!"

Zelena scoffs and rolls her eyes at him as she carefully hands Robin to Regina and dumps her baby bag on the deck.

"I'm not going into battle, holding my child, Pirate. But unless you plan to stay in Paris forever, I need to go with you to bring you all back. Fear not, Robin and I will be staying on the ship, while you all dash off to save the day." She finishes in a bored tone.

Killian looks unconvinced, but relents.

"Very well…"

Zelena turns and walks to the bow of the ship, raising the Sorcerer's wand.

"Now then." She says as she swishes the wand down to point at the water a few yards in front of the ship. The portal begins swirling and Zelena steps back to take Robin from Regina. Snow and the others grip tightly to the ship as Killian steers into the portal.

"Here we go again." Snow mutters.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven**

Emma and Esmerelda are hauled out of the prison carriage before the guards strip Emma of her boots and jacket. Their manacles are secured over their heads to large wooden posts and then left as a spectacle for the crowd.

Emma looks around at the gathering crowd and then at Esmerelda, just a few feet away from her.

"If this is what your people do for entertainment, I think I'll stick with the xbox." She mumbles to herself while yanking futilely at her chains.

Esmerelda is also pulling at her restraints when Emma addresses her.

"So. Any ideas on how to get outta this one?"

Esmerelda's eyes dart around frantically as she answers.

"No. Not yet. You?"

Emma is wincing in pain as she draws blood trying to pull her hands out of the manacles.

"If these were handcuffs, We would be halfway across town, eating baguettes by now. How long does this show usually last?"

Esmerelda glances up at Notre Dame cathedral and says,

"The bells of Notre Dame will ring at noon. Frolo waits for the bells, to light the pyres. [she squints at the sun] So, my guess is that we have about two hours."

Emma gives up on the manacles and sighs.

"Great."

After a few moments of reflection, Emma catches and holds Esmerelda's eyes.

"I'm sorry."

The young girl's response is confused.

"What ever for?"

Emma gets emotional and looks away.

"Your people brought me here to save them and I've only been here for a _day_ and I've already failed."

Esmerelda studies Emma closely.

"Who are you, exactly?"

"I'm a saviour from a different land. Your Gypsy Elder brought me here with magic because the saviour you _had_ , traded his destiny to be an average joe."

"What?" Esmerelda asks, with an expression of confused alarm.

"My people brought you here, into this fate? [she pauses to think] We should apologize to you. This is not your fight and we took you from your world to die for us. I am truly sorry, Emma."

She says with tears in her eyes.

Emma looks at Esmerelda and puts on a brave smile for her benefit.

"I'm not dead yet."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Still shaking off the disorientation of traveling across realms, the motley crew of the Jolly Roger sail down the Seine towards the Paris docks.

"So where do we start looking for Emma?"

Snow asks as Killian starts pulling the ship closer to the dock.

Regina answers her.

"Well, we're looking for the hunchback, aren't we? So, wouldn't the logical place to start be Notre Dame catherdral?

No one could dispute her argument or come up with a better plan.

"As good a place to start as any." Killian says as he rolls out the gangplank.

Zelena calls to the four heroes as they disembark.

"Don't worry about us. We'll just guard the ship until you return. And if you're not back in a day or so, I suggest you learn French." She says with a smile and a wave.

Regina, Killian, Snow and David all turn to glare at her.

"Zelena…"

Regina says as a warning.

Zelena rolls her eyes at her sister.

"I would come back for you in a few days. But I only have enough bottles to last Robin for a day. Honestly, your sense of humour was so much better when you were evil." She finishes disgustedly before turning away to take Robin below deck.

The heroes turn towards the city and after getting muttled directions to Notre Dame in French; consisting mostly of pointing, Killian, Regina, Snow and David begin hurrying towards the catherdral.

Upon arriving on the crowded front steps of Notre Dame, Killian stops the others with a problem that is bothering him.

"How are we supposed to find this 'hunchback' lad if he doesn't look like a hunchback anymore?"

The group pauses to think, but are interrupted by a boy, who was weeping on the cathedral steps.

"I think you must be looking for me."

Q says, standing. He regards their unusual clothing and harried expressions and adds,

"and Emma."

Killian seizes Q by the front of his shirt.

"Are you the one who took, Emma?"

Q sags in Killian's grasp.

"Yes."

"Where is she?" Killian demands as he roughly shakes the boy.

David and Snow take a step towards Killian, ready to intervene on the boy's behalf.

Q's eyes fill with tears and he points to the far square where the crowd has gathered to listen to Frolo's speech, condemning the women of witchcraft.

Killian eyes widen as he just makes out Emma's figure, strung up on the pyre. He pulls Q in close to threaten him.

"If anything happens to her, you best pray you never see me again, _boy_." And with that, Killian releases Q and begins sprinting down the church steps.

Just outside the square, David catches up to Killian, grabs him by the shoulder, and slams him up against the closest wall, saying,

"Wait!"

Killian shoves David back, ready for a fight.

"Emma is there! I can see her! What are you doing?" he yells in David's face.

David takes a step back, holding out his hands, as Regina and Snow catch up to them.

"We need to be smart about this." David rationalizes.

Regina, studying the crowd, says to the rest,

"Something isn't right."

David and Snow give her a questioning look as Killian attempts to calm his anger.

Regina expounds.

"Why hasn't Emma jut magicked her way out of this?"

Snow offers a suggestion after a moment of thought.

"Maybe she got caught on purpose? I mean Gold had said that Emma is supposed to take over the job of saviour here…?"

David glances warily at Killian.

"In that case, I think a little forethought is needed before we go charging in there."

Killian is barely containing his urgency to rescue the woman he loves, but he manages to ask,

"What do you suggest?"

Snow answers him quickly.

"We blend in. If we can get close to the front of the crowd, maybe we can signal Emma."

Regina and David nod in agreement but Killian glares at them

"What, you think your stylish pant suit and blue jeans are not going to stand out in this crowd?" he asks, gesturing to Regina and then Snow.

As the ladies look down at their outfits with matching frowns, Killian continues.

"I look the least strange in this world. I will get close to Emma and you three create a diversion at the back of the crowd."

Before any of them could argue with him, Killian slips by David and disappears into the crowd.

Frolo is wrapping up his horrible speech of condemnation as Killian slowly makes his way towards the front.

The bells of Notre Dame begin to ring the hour and Frolo gives an ugly smile.

Just as Killian gets halfway to Emma, he hears Frolo shout out,

"The time has come to purge or city of these demons. GUARDS, LIGHT THE FIRES!"

Killian is struck frozen in terror.

"NO!" he roars.

Emma's head snaps up at the sound of his voice.

"KILLIAN!" she screams to him.

Just then, there is a deafening 'CRACK' and everyone cowers and turns to see Regina, backed by Snow and Charming; bow and sword at the ready. Regina grins widely and raises her hands to the sky to slam another lightning bolt to the ground, with another great 'CRACK'. She laughs gleefully and Frolo's guards tentatively try to close in on them.

Frolo shrieks with spittle flying from his mouth.

"ANOTHER WITCH! SEIZE HER AND HER ACCOMPLICES!"

Killian takes advantage of the misdirection to push his way to the front of the crowd and climb up on the Pyre with Emma, sword drawn.

"Swan." He breathes out when he is close enough to touch her. Tears are falling down her face as Emma gazes at Killian with love.

"You found me."

"You came to hell for me; you didn't think I would follow you to Paris, love?" he says with adoration in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Regina, Snow and David are holding their own against Frolo's guards.

A guard runs at Regina, yelling,

"WITCH!"

Regina laughs at him as she forms a fireball.

"Sorry. Wrong sister."

She quips as she launches the fireball at him. Amidst the chaos, a white powder begins to flutter down from above. Regina clutches her chest and starts coughing uncontrollably.

"Regina! Are you alright?" Snow yells, between arrows.

Regina tries to throw another fireball and takes a hit to her shoulder instead.

"My magic is gone!" she says between coughs, as she backs away from the guard advancing on her.

David overhears Regina's predicament and executes an impressive move, disarming his opponent and sending the guards' sword sliding across the stone cobbles to Regina's feet. Regina grabs the sword and blocks another blow from a guard.

Up on the Pyre, Killian is trying in vain to break the iron manacles around Emma's bruised wrists.

Frolo suddenly comes at them, throwing a torch at Emma's feet before lunging at Killian, taking them both to the ground in front of the pyre. Emma yells after him.

"Killian!"

Frolo is on his feet before Killian, and blocks him from getting back to save Emma.

A deadly glint enters Killian's eyes as he looks at the only obstacle between him and Emma: Frolo. He swings his sword and starts savagely duelling with Frolo.

The fire is building at Emma's feet and she is starting to panic. She sees a blur out of the corner of her eye and turns to see Q jumping up onto Esmerelda's pyre. With inhuman strength, he rips her manacles from the pole, cradles Esmerelda in his arms and leaps away from the fire.

Killian has almost bested Frolo; pinning him to the ground.

Emma screams in pain and Killian goes into a panicked rage, slashing his hook across Frolo's throat without another thought, before he jumps up to brave the flames and climb up onto the pyre again. Q gets to Emma at the same time as Killian. He tears the manacles above her head from the pole and shoves Emma forward into Killian's arms. Killian uses the momentum to jump over the flames and onto the cobblestones.

Most of the crowd has dispersed and Regina, Snow and David fight their way to Killian and Emma. Snow falls to her knees beside Killian who is cradling an unconscious Emma in his lap and murmuring softly in her ear.

"Is she alright?"

Killian looks up at Snow with a helpless, lost expression.

"She won't wake. "

He looks back to Emma in despair.

"Am I too late?"

Snow looks from Killian to Emma and then springs into action.

"No. She probably just inhaled too much smoke. She needs oxygen."

Snow pulls Emma off Killian's lap and onto the cobbles before she grabs his arm tightly, to get his attention.

"She needs mouth-to-mouth." Snow says to Killian's blank expression.

"You need to push air from _your_ lungs into _hers_." She clarifies.

Killian immediately does as Snow instructs. He holds Emma's nose closed and presses his lips to hers, gently pushing air into her lungs.

Emma and Killian are surrounded by Regina, David, Snow, Q and Esmerelda, all watching silently as Killian tries breathing life back into Emma.

After a few more breaths, Emma jerks up and starts coughing raggedly. Killian sits back to hold her head in his lap as she coughs and hacks, his relief almost palpable.

A collective sigh of relief goes through everyone, while Frolo's forgotten corpse dribbles blood onto the stones of the square.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Killian is carefully cradling Emma in his lap on the stones of the Paris square, whispering promises in her ear as she gasps for breath. The burns on her feet and legs cause tears to stream down her face as she clutches Killian's shirt.

Regina, ever vigilant, remarks to the rest,

"Maybe we should take this little reunion to a less _public_ place?"

Q's eyes have been darting around as well and he agrees with Regina.

"Yes. More guards will come and there will be trouble when news of Frolo's death spreads."

He spares a sad glance to the body of the man who raised him before looking away and continuing.

"We can take her to the cathedral for a few moments but we shouldn't linger there either."

Nodding in agreement, David stoops to aid Killian with Emma but Killian silently stands, holding Emma out of David's reach and starts walking towards Notre Dame.

David raises an eyebrow at him but doesn't comment.

Avoiding the fresh guards beginning to flow into the square, Killian and the others make it to the cathedral, Killian lays Emma down softly on a back pew but doesn't leave her side as he is takes stock of Emma's injuries. Q begins speaking.

"We cannot stay here long but there will be some supplies here to help Emma." He says before hastily darting away towards the front of the cathedral.

Killian distractedly looks up to watch Q go and then turns to Regina.

"There should be no need for that. Regina, you can heal her." He says, turning back to Emma who is beginning to whimper with pain. The sound of Emma's soft whimpers is sending Killian over the edge of panic.

"I would love to but those guards dosed me with whatever magic-blocking dust they used to capture Emma." She says in a very irritated voice.

Emma has another coughing spell and Killian immediately kneels down to stroke her back in small circles, after which he stands again and looks at the others with wild angry eyes.

"Well, we bloody need to do **SOMETHING** for her!" he shouts as Q comes running back to them holding bandages and salve. He stops in front of Killian who relieves him of the salve and bends to apply it to Emma's legs and feet, jerking his hand back every time Emma winces.

Q stands holding the bandages and says,

"I spoke to the priest and he has loaned us the use of his cart and horse to get Emma to your ship. He said he will leave them by the side door for us."

Snow replies.

"Good. With Regina's magic gone, we need to get Emma to Zelena and hopefully she can heal her and we can get back home."

Regina lets out a frustrated huff.

"Speaking of which, does anyone know how I can get my magic back?"

Esmerelda's head pops up and she looks at Regina, saying in a pragmatic tone,

"Oh, your magic will return after a few days."

Regina turns to the girl and stares her down.

"You mean I have to just wait until the powder is out of my system?"

Esmerelda shrugs.

"Yes. It usually only takes three days for the powder to wear off."

Before Regina could express her total relief, a croaky strained voice speaks.

"Well that's one less thing to worry about." Emma says and starts coughing again.

Killian reaches up over her body to press his fingers to Emma's lips and admonish her.

"Don't speak, love. You could hurt yourself more."

Even in her weakened state, Emma relishes the feeling of Killian's nearness. Clearly not immune to sparks flying between them, Killian straightens to stand with a knowing look before returning to his worried brooding.

"That's the end of the salve, let's get Emma to that wagon and be off."

Killian says as he steps around her, carefully scoops Emma back up into his arms and looks to Q to lead the way.

The wagon ride was longer than expected but the band of heroes manage to evade the guards and arrive at the Jolly Roger. They begin jumping down from the cart and David again tries to help Killian with Emma, but the pirate all but bares his teeth and growls at David to keep him away from her.

David is about to confront Killian about his possessiveness of Emma but Snow places a hand on his arm and silences him with a look.

Zelena looks up from smiling at baby Robin to see them all walking up he gangplank. She wanders over to Killian as he steps onto the deck of the ship.

"Wow. Didn't expect you back… well, _ever_. To be honest."

Killian pins her with a glare, which softens slightly after a moment.

"We need your magic. Emma is injured, and her and Regina have lost their magic for the time being."

Intrigued, Zelena begins handing Robin to Regina so she can follow Killian below deck.

"Seems I missed quite a day, didn't I?" she says to her sister before follwing Killian. Regina rolls her eyes at her sister's back and shifts baby Robin so she can turn and talk to the others. Q and Esmerelda are standing at the edge of the gangplank, awkwardly trying to not notice each other. Regina mumbles to herself.

"Lord save me from teenagers in any realm…" and she walks over to them.

Snow and David are already there, watching Killian and Zelena disappear with Emma into the Captain's quarters.

"Well, I guess everything should go back to normal now, right?" Snow says cheerily.

Regina looks at the blushing teenagers again and corrects Snow.

"I think there may be some minor changes to the fates around here." Snow looks at Regina questioningly and then follows her gaze to Q and Esmerelda and smiles wider. She addresses Q, saying,

"Well. It has been very nice meeting you but I think its time we took Emma home."

Q looks down at his feet and says,

"Please tell Emma that I am so very sorry for causing her any pain. It was not my intention." He says, turning away. Esmerelda starts to follow but turns back for a moment.

"Tell Emma I say goodbye!"

Snow waves to them as David starts taking in the gangplank, preparing for their departure.

Meanwhile, Killian has laid Emma down across his bed in the Captain's quarters and Zelena is having a look at her burns.

"Well, that looks rather painful doesn't it? Is that all that needs healing?" she asks Killian.

"She breathed in a fair amount of smoke as well." He says as he sits on the bed next to Emma to caress the strands of hair from her face. Zelena nods and holds out her hands towards Emma.

"Got it." And she begins running her hands a couple inches over Emma's burns. Shimmering light encases Emma's legs for a few moments and then Zelena stops and drops her hands with a frown.

Killian whips a sharp look at Zelena as David and Snow drop down into the cabin.

"What's wrong?"

Zelena looks at the burns on Emma's legs as if they offend her.

"It's not working. My magic is going into the burns but it's like her body is rejecting the magic."

Snow purses her lips and nods to Zelena.

"It must be that magic-blocking powder that she inhaled, working inside her."

Killian gives an exasperated groan and runs an anxious hand through his hair.

Zelena raises an eyebrow at Snow, shrugs and then starts walking away.

"Well, I guess you don't need me then." And she climbs up the ladder to join her sister on the deck.

Emma has dropped off to sleep and Killian stands to start pacing between her and her parents.

"What the blazes do I do now?!" he asks to no one in particular.

Snow goes to answer him but David whips around and blocks her.

"Snow can you go up and start getting the ship ready to sail?" Snow understands David's code for wanting to talk to Killian alone and silently leaves them.

David turns to Killian and takes a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Hey."

Killian doesn't even hesitate in his prowling or look up at David.

"What?"

David reaches out and puts a tentative hand on Killian's shoulder, forcing him to stop pacing. Killian looks over his shoulder at him, ready to start a fight, but David holds up a hand and backs away.

"I get it." He says, catching Killian off guard. David leans back against the captain's desk and crosses his arms.

"I know what you're thinking. [Killian scoffs] Snow has been taken from me a few times now, and whenever I get her back, I act just like you are, for a few days."

Killian continues scowling silently as David goes on.

"You feel guilty. [Killian glances up at David] I mean, we know that both Snow and Emma can pretty much handle anything that comes at them but when they get hurt…"

David looks down at the floor and furrows his brow.

"… it feels like we should have been there to protect them." He finishes in a strained voice.

By this time, Killian has turned and is kneeling down beside Emma, watching her sleep. He puts his head down on the bed beside her and says in a broken voice,

"I was almost too late."

David nods, knowingly.

"But you weren't. Emma will be fine, Killian."

Killian considers for a few seconds before he stands up and turns to David.

"I believe that's the first time you've ever called me by my given name."

David smiles at him.

"Don't get used to it. You're still a pirate to me."

Killian grins and blows out a huge breath. David pushes away from the desk and starts towards the ladder.

"Speaking of which, I think we need the Captain at the helm of his ship to get us back home and get Emma to a doctor." He says pointedly.

Killian looks back to Emma, worry creeping back onto his face and David changes direction.

"I won't leave her side." He says, moving towards her.

Killian watches Emma for moment and then bends to place a soft kiss on her lips and then turns to David.

"Thanks, mate. I've been running around in a blind panic since your phone call. I think I just needed to be pulled up, mate, and reminded that Emma will be alright."

David claps a hand on Killian's shoulder and gives it a squeeze before releasing him. Killian, with one last glance to Emma, vaults up to the deck to steer them home.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N this chapter is "SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE!" Mahahaha also smuuut.**

 **Chapter Nine**

As Storybrooke comes into view, the crew of the Jolly Roger breathe a collective sigh of relief. Killian steers the ship towards the docks and Snow takes out her phone to call Dr. Whale and Belle, to check on Neal.

Waiting for the ship when they dock are Dr. Whale, Belle with Neal and Henry. David helps the doctor up onto the ship, directing him towards the Captain's quarters, as Snow races down the gangplank to Belle and lifts Neal into her arms with big smiles. She extends her hug to Belle and then to an anxious-looking Henry.

"Is my mom okay?" he asks impatiently, eyeing the doctor's back as he boards the ship.

Regina looks over the side of the ship at his comment and smiles at him.

"Come on up, Henry. And yes, Emma will be fine." She says as Henry runs up and onto the ship to tightly hug his mother.

"Where is she?" he says when he releases Regina. She smiles down at him and points to the hatch leading below deck.

"She's lying down, resting. She has some burns that we will be able to heal when her magic returns."

Henry looks at Regina, confused

"What happened to her magic?"

Regina frowns slightly.

"We both got dosed with some sort of magic-suppressing powder but it should be out of our systems in a couple days. Why don't you go see her?" She says and he starts running towards the hatch to the Captain's quarters, sparing a last smile for her.

Henry slides down the ladder just in time to hear Dr. Whale say,

"…But she mostly needs rest. Once her magic returns, she obviously can heal the burns and smoke inhalation but she will most likely still be quite worn out. Just make sure she takes it easy for a few days."

Killian nods to the doctor in agreement and thanks him before, turning to Henry and extending an arm to usher him closer to Emma. Henry hurries forward with a big grin for his mother. Emma coughs a few times and then smiles at Henry.

"Hey, kid." She manages to say.

"Hey Mom. Other Mom filled me in a bit. Are you okay?"

Emma tries to sit up slightly to answer him but is halted by Killian's hand on her shoulder and a stern look. Killian looks at Henry and answers for Emma.

"She'll be just fine, lad. If she can allow herself to be taken care of long enough to heal."

Killian smiles and Henry laughs at the scrunched up face that Emma makes at his comment.

"Don't worry, Mom. We will take care of everything. You just get better."

Emma leans forward and gives Henry a one-armed hug before he runs off above deck again, leaving Emma and Killian alone for the first time since she went missing.

After gazing at each other for a while, Killian gets down and puts his face very close to Emma's.

"You scared me, love. And I know it will happen again, but I've said it before and I'll say it now: I will follow you to the ends of the earth, Love."

He leans forward and kisses her lips softly, intending it to be a chaste show of devotion, but Emma deepens the kiss and Killian finds himself drawn into a kiss filled with playful promise.

He pulls back and gives Emma a saucy grin.

"Now, now, darling. You need to be resting. Doctors' orders."

Grinning at Emma's pout, Killian rises and pecks a kiss to her forehead.

"Sleep, Love." And then he turns to leave, looking back to make sure she is settling in to have a rest.

Emma missed Killian so much that she wants to be with him to stay, but her traitorous body is drifting to sleep.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

After two days aboard the Jolly Roger, Emma is getting accustomed to letting the gentle sway of the ship lull her to sleep and waking to the cries of seagulls. Snuggled up in the captain's bed, Emma relishes the deep breaths she was now capable of taking and stretches her legs without any pain. Her magic had returned sometime in the night and she wasted no time in healing herself and then fading back to sleep next to Killian.

He had fallen to sleep last night reading a boating magazine that Henry had brought him along with a huge care package for his mother. Emma smiles and reaches over to move the magazine off Killian's chest and onto the floor, rolling towards him at the same time.

Killian wakes to soft kisses, feathering over his face. He smiles without opening his eyes.

"Emma… you should be resting, Love."

But she will not be deterred. She missed her pirate and was feeling much better.

"I've rested enough for now." She says between kisses.

"I've missed you so much, Killian."

Her hands begin a slow slide up his torso to caress his chest where his shirt was open and her hips gently move against his, in time with the waves.

"Emma…" Killian says with an amused warning.

Her kisses were moving towards his jaw and his ear.

"I'm not looking for acrobatics, babe."

She says as she leans over to lick the edge of his ear. Killian hisses in a breath.

"I just need to feel close to you again." She murmurs in his ear.

Killian knows he has already lost the fight and smiles as he carefully rolls himself over to look down at Emma.

"As you wish, my love. I have but one rule." He says as she grins victoriously up at him.

"And what is that?"

Killian leans down to brush a kiss across her lips.

"You let me do all the work, darling."

Emma chuckles but Killian pulls away slightly and quirks an eyebrow at her until he hears her agree to his terms.

"Okay, fine. It's all you, Captain." She says, throwing her hands up in surrender.

A devilish grin splits his face and he leans in close again with a searing kiss, making her dizzy with love.

Killian starts kissing Emma everywhere as he slowly undresses her and by the time she is naked, Emma is dripping and ready for him. Killian quickly strips himself as well before kissing his way down her body to her core. He trails passionate kisses across her thighs and she lets out a high-pitched moan as he slips his tongue over her sensitive nub. Sucking it into his mouth, he uses the rough part of his tongue to build up a delicious friction and then plunges it into her folds.

Emma is getting louder by the second and she couldn't care less. Killian's wonderful assault on her core is bringing her so close to orgasm.

"Killian… I need you… I want you inside me."

Not needing to be told twice, Killian gives her opening one last lick and moves tenderly over her to draw her into a deep kiss.

Emma can taste herself on Killian's tongue and it is intoxicating.

"Are you ready for me, darling?" he rumbles in her ear before taking her lobe between his teeth and nipping.

"Yes…"

He pushes up onto his elbows and looks into Emma's eyes as he enters her. She holds his eyes as he sets a lazy pace, thrusting into her.

When Emma can't take anymore she digs her finger into his hips.

"Now, Killian. Please, I need you."

He smiles sweetly at her and his pace increases until he is hammering in and out of her. Emma closes her eyes and cries out her orgasm, moments before Killian groans and spills himself inside her.

Killian catches Emma's eyes again after a few seconds of recovery.

"I love you, Emma."

Emma smiles up at him and takes his face in her hands, pulling him down for a lingering kiss.

"I love you so much, Killian." She whispers back.

Killian nuzzles her neck a bit before pulling himself out of her and rolling to her side. He curls a protective arm around her waist and pulls her closer to him.

"Rest again now, Love."

And she contentedly lets the waves lull her back to sleep with her pirate wrapped around her.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

After dozing most of the day, Emma wakes to darkness and she reaches over for Killian but finds only cold sheets. She rolls over and sees a candle burning on Killian's desk and Emma moves off the bed to read the single piece of parchment left beside the candle.

 _Dress. And come find me, Love._

Is all it said in Killian's beautiful handwriting. Emma looks around and sees the pretty pink dress she wore on their first date hanging from a corner of Killian's dresser. Emma smiles to herself. Killian must have asked Henry to bring it over.

Emma quickly gets dressed and puts a bit of make up on before climbing the ladder to the ship's deck.

Standing next to the helm, Emma looks around and her breath catches. Killian had sailed the ship out to sea while she slept and that wasn't all he had been up to. Looking down to the deck, Emma sees Killian dressed as he was on their first date as well. He smiles up at her and strides over to take her hand as she descends the steps to the deck. There are fairy lights strung all over the deck and Emma is looking around for the source of the music drifting around them.

She looks down at her pirate and smiles at him feeling like a real princess as Killian gently kisses her fingers and steps back to bow to her and then slowly spins her into his arms. Emma didn't want to speak and break the spell that he was weaving around them so she just gazes into his sapphire eyes and lets him draw her into a dance.

Much more intimate than their last dance in the enchanted forest, they just sway together, bodies pressed closely and unhindered by overly-full dresses or stiff clothing. It was just them, moving with the rhythm of the ship and the music. Emma sighs and rests her head on Killian's shoulder, deciding that she could stay right there forever.

After contentedly swaying to a few more songs, Killian spins Emma out and then guides her to several blankets and pillows piled up on the deck. Emma sits and Killian hands her a glass of rum, seemingly from nowhere. Emma quirks a curious eyebrow, but takes a sip instead of inquiring. Killian reaches behind the mast and flicks a switch, turning off the fairy lights and Emma gasps as she looks up. The giant full moon and millions of stars perfectly out-line the crow's nest of the ship and it is breath-taking. Emma looks down to Killian to say so and finds him staring at her intently.

"Emma…"

Not trusting herself to speak, she simply inclines her head in response. He leans in a ghosts a kiss across her lips before leaning back against the mast and taking a deep breath. Emma just waits while he gathers his thoughts.

"When I was a child, after our father abandoned us, Liam and I had to fend for ourselves."

Killian looks off into the distance, remembering.

"We would search the docks and beaches for discarded items to exchange for food and the like." Emma laces her fingers through his in silent support, urging him to continue.

"I was a young lad in rags searching the beaches when I found a small bit of blue amongst the shells and sand. It was a shard of beach glass, smoothed down by years of being at sea. I'd never seen anything so beautiful before. It was a deep blue and to my young eyes, it looked like a jewel."

Killian smiled at the memory of his young self.

"I could have sold it for a meal for Liam and I, but I didn't. I couldn't part with it. I never even showed my brother my treasure. I kept it in my pocket for years and when I became worried or angry, I would put my hand in my pocket and rub my fingers over its smooth sides. It would calm me."

Emma shuffles closer and lays her head on his shoulder to look out over the water with him, letting him tell his story.

Killian slips a hand into his pocket and keeps his fist curled around something as he speaks again.

"I hadn't thought about that piece of glass in years and a few days ago I realized why: It's you, Emma."

He says, looking down at her for a moment before returning his gaze to the sea.

"You have become my calm, Swan. My port in the storm."

He moves his hand in front of Emma and holds up a delicate white gold ring.

Emma, taken completely by surprise, lifts her head from his shoulder and stares at the ring in front of her with widened eyes. Killian furrows his brow and quickly says,

"I know you are probably not ready for this, Emma and I've resigned myself to the fact that you are probably going to turn me down flat, but I needed to try, Love."

Emma just stares at the ring in his hand, speechless. The ring is made of several delicate strands of white gold, braided together around, what must be the piece of beach glass from his story.

Emma's heart feels like it will burst as she looks down at Killian's small piece of childhood treasure.

Killian begins lowering his hand.

"It's not fit for a princess, I know. I can find you a diamond worthy to adorn your finger…"

Emma cuts him off by grabbing his hand and holding it in front of her. She looks over into Killian's eyes and kisses him sweetly. In an emotionally choked voice, she whispers to him.

"It's perfect, Killian."

Hope soars into his eyes as he watches Emma return her attention to the ring and pluck it from his fingers, cradling it in her palm.

"It couldn't be more perfect." She says as a tear slides down her cheek.

Killian catches the tear with a finger and moves around in front of Emma, watching her intently, almost in disbelief. He takes the ring from her palm and holds it out in question, waiting.

"Emma Swan…" he says with a smile creeping onto his lips.

Emma gives a nervous giggle and holds her hand steady for him.

"Princess of the enchanted forest and saviour of Storybrooke…, will you do me the honour of marrying this old pirate captain?"

Killian holds his breath and slides his ring onto Emma's finger before he looks back to her face and waits for her answer.

Emma takes a moment to savour the sight of his beautiful ring on her hand before looking up into Killian's eyes. Swallowing her fear, Emma simply says,

"Yes." And then lets out a nervous breath and smiles shakily.

Killian surges forward and captures her lips as they fall backwards and Emma laughs. Killian is on top of her and pulls back to look at her again.

"I truly expected you to turn me down, Love. So, I'm in about as much shock as you, I think." He says with a chuckle. Emma laughs more and pushes up to her elbows so she can kiss him more.

After a long leisurely kiss, punctuated by smiles and laughs, Killian and Emma lay down on the blankets and cushions together to caress each other as they stare up at the bright stars and listen to the soft music of Adele, drifting around them.

After a while, Emma turns to look at Killian.

"I have to ask, where is the music coming from?"

Killian chuckles and points up to the ship's boom where he had hidden the portable speaker.

"I may have had some assistance from Henry for that one." He says with a smile.

Emma whips a look in his direction.

"Henry knows?" she asks, surprised but amused.

"Aye. The lad and I had a good long talk while you were sleeping yesterday."

Emma grins.

"Apparently. Anybody else in on your big secret?"

Killian is starting to busy himself with kissing up Emma's arm as he answers.

"Your father, actually."

At her raised eyebrows, he continues,

"Oh we shared a moment when we were leaving Paris. I spoke to him yesterday of my intentions and after much posturing and threatening, he agreed to be happy for us. Though I admit, I don't believe he thought you would accept my proposal either."

Killian says with a smug smile as he takes Emma's hand and kisses the ring on her finger, holding her eyes. Emma moves in closer.

"So is there anyone else? My mother?"

Killian's grin turns coy.

"Actually, we thought it best to keep this from your mother, in the interest of secrecy."

Emma bursts out laughing.

"That was probably a good idea. I love her but my mother has issues with keeping secrets."

Emma says as Killian works his kisses up to her shoulder.

"That was our assessment as well. Now, not to be blunt about it, but might we stop the talk of your family members and get back to the present moment." He says with lust filled eyes.

Emma leans into him, having absolutely no objection to the present moment. She presses Killian onto his back with deep kisses and starts roaming her hands over his chest as she moves to straddle his hips. Sitting up to look down at her pirate, Emma smiles as she catches sight of her new ring. She can already feel the beginnings of his erection and she moves her hips down the length of it in appreciation.

Emma leans over and grabs her glass of rum and gives Killian a sip before throwing back the rest and putting the glass out of the way. Killian laughs at her new abandon and settles his hook and hand on either side of her waist. Emma thinks for a moment before she stands up, pulling him to his feet as well.

"I think I need help getting this dress off." She says as she nibbles on his collarbone. Killian has the zipper down in seconds and is easing her dress off her shoulders and down her body to pool at her feet. Emma returns the favour and slips his vest and shirt off before sliding her hands down to button of his jeans.

Kicking off their shoes, they are soon standing naked under the stars and need is replacing playfulness. Killian picks up Emma, wrapping her legs around his hips, and walks her over to push her back against the mast of the Jolly Roger.

Hands clutching to pull each other closer, Emma tilts her hips to match the angle of Killian's erection. All the invitation he needs, Killian enters her swiftly and they both gasp in relief.

Soft moans from Emma are driving Killian mad and he starts moving within her, swallowing her cries of pleasure with his deep kisses. She reaches up with one hand to hold on to some low rigging and Killian digs his hook into the mast as he plunges in and out of her, building the aching tension inside them both. Emma tips her head back and opens her mouth to scream her release as it washes over her and Killian presses his forehead to her throat and groans his own climax.

Panting and smiling, Emma and Killian look at each other as the pulses of pleasure slow. Killian yanks his hook from the mast, frowning slightly at the mark left behind, as he helps Emma lower her legs to the deck.

They both collapse happily onto the blankets and pillows, letting the warm breeze cool their sweat-slicked bodies as they drift to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Henry is practically vibrating with excitement when Emma and Killian dock the Jolly Roger. Emma can see him moving around, trying to get a look at her left hand. Killian walks down the gangplank first but his face gives nothing away until he looks back at Emma and extends his hand to help her down. Emma can't hold back the smile on her face as she holds out her hand to take Killian's.

Henry sees the ring and lets out a 'whoop' of excitement before he runs up past Killian and hugs his mother.

"Congratulations! I told Grampa you would say yes." He looks at Killian.

"Operation captain-swan is a success!" he says and high-five's Killian.

Emma laughs and gives the boys a strange look.

"Operation 'captain-swan'?"

Killian looks down at his boots and Henry beams at her. Emma shakes her head.

"So can we tell people? I think Grandma knows something is up but she doesn't know what it is."

Emma stops Henry's rambling with a hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe we can keep this just within the family for now?" Emma suggests, looking up at Killian for input. Killian raises a sceptical eyebrow but remains silent. Emma drops her head and lets out an exaggerated sigh.

"Fine. Let's go tell Mary Margaret so the whole town can know by the end of the day." She says walking away from the docks, arms linked with Henry and holding Killian's hand.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Snow White reacts to her daughter's engagement as everyone expected her to: a lot of squealing and fast-talking as she starts rattling off things that _need_ to be done. Emma is getting very uncomfortable sitting there at the table in Snow and David's apartment as her mother fires wedding ideas at her.

Killian, who has mostly hidden away with David at the breakfast bar with a beer, takes pity on his bride-to-be and finally stands up, tips a hand at David in thanks and walks over to a stunned and slightly frightened looking Emma.

He interrupts Snow, mid-speech.

"Sorry to cut this visit a bit short, but Emma and I need to attend to some pressing engagement business of our own." He says with a straight face as he hauls a shell-shocked Emma out of her chair and guides her to the front door. With a cheerful good bye to a confused Snow and a smirking David, Killian closes the apartment door behind Emma and himself.

Emma leans against the wall outside the apartment and lets out a long breath.

"Wow. That was bad. Now I see why Henry bailed on us early for homework."

Killian chuckles at her and they start walking down the steps. Emma hugs up to Killian's arm and smirks at him.

"Thanks for the rescuing in there."

"Anytime, darling."

"Now what's this 'pressing engagement business' you speak of?" She asks with a sly look. Killian spins Emma around to press her against the door to the apartment building.

"Can't you guess, Love?" he asks with a dark glint in his eye. Emma wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his neck.

"Now that's engagement business that I can get behind." She murmurs.

"My thoughts exactly…" he responds, sliding his hand down to cup her butt and pull her closer.

Emma laughs and then opens the door behind her, sending them both staggering outside onto the sidewalk.

"If you play your cards right…" she says over her shoulder as she starts walking away. Killian runs after her, grinning.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _At Granny's Diner_

Killian stands talking to David as Emma works her way around the room full of people.

A strange looking airship had deposited hundreds of new people into their town from a place called 'The Land of Untold Stories' and as Sheriff, Emma was trying to organize and calm all of them.

David and Killian are trying to help Emma herd people into the diner, giving them some supplies and sending them on, towards a place to stay. Even Henry is flipping through his storybook at the counter, trying to find where all these new people fit in.

It had been three weeks since Emma had accepted Killian's proposal and she still caught herself staring at Killian and marvelling at things like, associating her pirate with the term 'husband'.

He is staring back at her from across the room and they share a smile before going back to what they were doing.

Killian absently hands David the pile of blankets he was passing out to people, intending to go to Emma, when a pair of hands come around his chest and a low, accented voice speaks in his ear saying,

"Hello Captain."

Killian's spine stiffens and David frowns, disapprovingly as a woman saunters around Killian, sliding one hand around to his chest while the other rests on the musket strapped to her hip. Killian stares at the woman in shocked disbelief.

"Maggie…?" he chokes out and she smiles seductively at him. She is dressed in black leather pants and boots with a billowy white shirt held in place by an under-bust corset. Long lavender-coloured hair spills out from under a leather captain's hat revealing mischievous violet eyes.

David interjects purposefully as he drops the blankets on a nearby table.

"Hook. Care to introduce me to your friend?" he says, glaring at Killian with his hands on his hips.

Shaking the confused fog from his mind, Killian takes Maggie's hands and removes them from his chest, dropping them as he addresses David.

"Aye, mate. This is Captain Maggie Morris. Maggie, meet Prince Charming. Charming, Maggie." He says with an annoyed frown, gesturing between them in introduction.

Maggie's eyes widen and she turns a sweet smile towards David.

"Prince? Really…" she says as Killian rolls his eyes and Maggie holds out her hand for David. Unsure of what is going on, David tentatively takes Maggie's hand and bends to kiss it quickly.

Maggie steps in closer to David and asks,

"So, how is it you know our fair Captain Jones, here?"

David, more confused than ever, takes a step back and crosses his arms over his chest.

"Actually, I'm Hook's father-in-law-to-be." He says with satisfaction.

Maggie just smiles wider at him and tilts her head to glance at Killian.

"Really? The romantic side of you finally win out over the vengeful side, darling?"

Without waiting for an answer, she laughs a throaty chuckle and turns back to David.

"Now I think my math is coming up short on this one, handsome. How can Jones be marrying _your_ daughter?" she asks as she walks her fingers up his shirt.

Eyes pleading wildly for help, David explains as he backs up another couple steps.

"Well, my _wife_ and I were caught in a curse for twenty-eight years, and our daughter, Emma, wasn't."

Maggie quirks her head to the side with an alluring smile.

"Sounds intriguing. I would love to hear more."

Maggie steps forward to caress David's face and Killian grabs her arm with his hook, pulling her to face him.

"What are you doing here, Maggie?"

David, thankful for the rescue, mumbles something about finding Emma and makes a getaway. Maggie returns her attentions to Killian and toys with the chain around his neck.

"This _is_ the new promised land, is it not? Are you saying that I'm not welcome here in your little slice of paradise?" she asks with an exaggerated pout.

He glares down at her.

"I know you. And anywhere you go, trouble inevitably follows."

Emma chooses that moment to join them. Killian stands looking irritably at Maggie and lets Emma reach over and gently pluck his chain from Maggie's fingers and settle it back onto his chest.

Maggie steps back with a smug smirk and Emma forces a smile in her direction.

"You must be the bride-to-be."

Emma steps closer to Killian.

"I am. I also don't like when people touch my things without asking." She says, staring down Maggie.

Killian can't help the smirk that lifts the side of his mouth from Emma's possessive comment.

"I'm Emma. Who are you?" she asks.

"Hey there, Emma. I'm Maggie."

Suddenly bored with her own game, Maggie stretches and says,

"Well, I've had a long day and I believe I will wander over and order a meal and a drink. Ta, darlings." She says with a wink at Killian as she turns and strolls to the counter.

Emma turns to Killian with a raised eyebrow.

"What. Was. That?"

Killian blows out a breath.

"That. Was trouble." He replies, keeping an eye on Maggie as she starts charming an unsuspecting man standing at the counter.

Emma, with a roll of her eyes, says,

"Okay, So I take it that you two aren't old fishing buddies."

Killian suddenly looks at Emma and then awkwardly rubs the back of his neck and glances at the floor.

"Relax, babe. You're like, three-hundred. You're bound to rack up a few ex's. It's fine." she says with an amused smile.

Killian smiles back at her.

"Our dalliance was a very long time ago, Emma." Emma slides her arm around Killian's waist.

"I believe you and I'm not worried about you. [she looks over to Maggie] should I be worried about _her_?"

Killian turns them to lead Emma to the door.

"Definitely."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _At Regina's house_

Maggie stands waiting on the door step after having rung the bell. Regina opens the door and regards the woman standing on her doorstep.

"Can I help you?"

Maggie, seemingly unsure, studies Regina.

"A few of the town's people directed me here. They claimed that you were the person to speak to if one desired a bit of magic… and doesn't relish the thought of a deal with the Dark One."

Regina raises an eyebrow and takes a step forward and crosses her arms, unintentionally giving Maggie a view of Zelena in the background, shooting sparks from her fingertips in an attempt to entertain baby Robin.

"That depends on what kind of magic you are looking for." Regina replies curiously.

Maggie backs up a step and inclines her head.

"Pardon the intrusion, but I believe I may have been mistaken. Ta."

She tips a hand to her hat and turns to walk away.

Regina watches her go with a concerned expression, before taking out her phone to call Emma.

A few minutes later, Maggie watches Regina leave her house from the privacy of some trees across the street. When Regina is gone, Maggie approaches the house once more and rings the bell.

An annoyed Zelena answers, holding Robin.

"Regina isn't here and I have a baby to feed. What do you want?" she says, bouncing a fussy Robin.

Maggie smiles warmly at her.

"Actually, I think I may have been looking for _you_ earlier, not the brunette." She answers.

"Me? What do you want with me? Who are you?"

"Captain Maggie Morris. I'm looking to barter for some magic." She says, removing her captain's hat and bowing slightly, gauging the red-head's reaction, as she did with Regina.

Zelena raises and eyebrow and stands a little straighter.

"Depending on what you have to offer, I may be interested."

The women share a look of understanding and Zelena opens the door wider to allow Maggie in.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Pls Pls reviewww… let me know how I'm doing!**

 **Chapter Eleven**

 _A few days later at Emma's House, the Kitchen_

Emma stands at the coffee maker, waiting for consciousness to drip into her mug as Henry quietly munches on his pop-tart at the table. Killian comes bounding down the steps from upstairs and gives Emma a peck on the cheek before opening the fridge door in search of food.

"There are more pop-tarts in the cupboard." Henry says absently as he stares at his phone and misses the amused but disgusted look that Killian gives him over the fridge door.

"You really eat those things? How's about I make us all a _real_ breakfast?" he asks, looking over at Emma questioningly. She is leaning a hip against the counter allowing the first sips of coffee to touch her soul but shares a smirk with Henry before turning back to Killian.

"Maybe another day, babe." she says as the front door opens with a quick knock. Regina walks in, followed by a slightly more wary Snow and David with Neal.

"We have a problem." Regina starts as she steps into the kitchen.

Emma sighs and Killian reaches around her for the coffee, using the excuse to move in close and wink at her, making her smirk.

"Of course we do. What is it today?" she asks, sipping from her mug.

Regina drops a piece of paper on the kitchen table and Emma picks it up as Killian steps up behind her to read over her shoulder.

 _Jones,_

 _I have borrowed your ship and a couple townspeople to crew it._

 _I will return them all in mostly the same condition._

 _Xoxo_

 _Maggie_

Killian reaches over to grab the paper out of Emma's hand and read it again in disbelief.

"What the bloody hell is this?" he asks Regina angrily.

Snow answers him, looking worriedly at Henry.

"That was found by Violet's father this morning, on her bed. She's missing."

"WHAT?" Henry stands suddenly, knocking his chair back.

"That woman took Violet? Why?" Henry asks, turning, with everyone else, to a shocked Killian.

"Who _is_ this woman?" Snow asks.

Killian rubs a hand over his face and lets out a frustrated breath.

"Long before Milah, I… spent some time with Maggie." Obviously censoring his terminology for Henry's benefit.

David cuts in.

"That's why she called you 'Jones' instead of 'Hook'."

Killian nods to David.

"Aye. And it's _Captain_ Maggie. She captain's a ship called 'The Cursed Diamond'… or _did_ , last I knew."

Emma starts pacing as she thinks.

"Regina said Maggie showed up on her doorstep a few days ago, looking for some magic." She says, working things out loud. Regina nods.

Emma looks back to Killian.

"Any idea what kind of magic she might be after?"

Killian throws his hand up in exasperation.

"I haven't seen or spoken to the woman in over two-hundred years."

Emma grabs her coat from the back of a kitchen chair and leads the way out the door, saying,

"Well, we know she wants your ship, so let's start there."

She puts a comforting arm over Henry's shoulders as the walk out.

"Don't worry, kid. We'll get Violet back."

A troubled Killian follows Emma and Henry outside, thinking intently to himself. David catches up to him, letting Regina and Snow bring up the rear with Neal.

"Any ideas?" David asks Killian, studying his face.

Killian runs a hand over his jaw and looks at David. Lowering his voice and sparing a pointed glance at Henry's back, he says,

"Maggie has taken lasses younger than Henry's sweetheart for her crew in the past. But as I understand it, they all volunteered for the job. Something isn't right about this."

As the group approach the docks, they see the Jolly Roger just starting to pull away to sea and look at each other to decide a quick course of action.

"Well, Emma. What do you say we go throw some magic around at Captain She-Hook?"

Regina says with a smirk at Killian.

"Hey!" Killian protests at the nickname.

Emma ignores their quips.

"Let's do it." She says, marching forward, up the gangplank with Regina. Snow stands back with Neal and holds Henry's arm to stop him from following.

Emma and Regina step onto the deck and look up at a grinning Maggie at the helm, holding a frightened looking Violet.

About to start hurling insults and magic, Emma and Regina are startled by a loud 'bang' from behind them. They turn to see Killian and David fall backwards down the gangplank as it drops away from the moving ship.

"What the…" Emma begins as she rushes back towards Killian.

Another loud 'bang' sounds and Emma falls backwards onto the deck.

"I wouldn't do that, darling." Maggie says as she descends the steps toward the side of the ship, pulling Violet along with her.

Killian stands on the dock and shouts curses at Maggie.

"What the bloody hell have you done to my ship?"

Maggie turns her head to him and roughly drags Violet up to the magical barrier. She puts her foot on the side of the ship and pushes Violet over the side.

Killian and David lunge forward and Violet falls into Killian's arms. He sets her on her feet and Henry runs forward to hug her tightly.

Maggie grins at Killian from where she stands on the side of the ship and yells to him.

"See? No harm done to the girl. Now Captain, you wouldn't mind if I borrow your girl here for a little quest, would you?"

She glances back at Emma quickly and continues.

"And your bride, as well?"

Not waiting for an answer, Maggie hops down from the side of the ship and starts striding to the helm, chuckling at her own joke.

Emma and Regina give each other a silent look of agreement and then hurl magic at Maggie, but it doesn't touch her. She keeps walking up the steps to the helm, smiling at the women.

"Sorry ladies, that would be too easy, now wouldn't it."

Emma and Regina look around for other ideas and notice a red cape crumpled below the main mast. Emma runs over to find Red, lying unconscious on the deck.

Maggie looks down at them from behind the wheel.

"Ya, sorry about that. But she seemed like a better choice for crew, than the girl.

Emma glares up at Maggie, fed up with everything. She leaves Regina to handle Red and climbs the steps to come nose to nose with Maggie. Maggie raises her eyebrows and waits for Emma to speak.

"Just what the _hell_ do you want from us, lady? You kidnapped that girl obviously to get us on board the ship and used magic to keep us here. Why?"

Maggie pauses for a moment before her arrogant expression slips and she looks away into the distance.

"I needed a crew." She states quietly.

"What makes you think that we will help you with our own kidnapping?" Emma fires back at her.

Maggie narrows her eyes at Emma.

"Because the faster that we arrive at our destination, the faster you can get back to peeling the leather off your dashing captain Jones." she says, going back to staring at the sea.

Emma squints to scrutinize Maggie, hiding a pang of longing that her image had created.

"And where is our 'destination'?" Emma asks as Regina walks up beside her, holding Red up by the arm.

Maggie gazes soberly ahead.

"Tortuga." She whispers to the sea.

The three women exchange confused glances before looking back at Maggie.

"That's that pirate island, isn't it? Why are you taking us there?" Regina asks.

Maggie, suddenly irritated, turns to them and steps forward, threateningly.

"My reasons are my own. Now, if you all plan on getting back to your precious town in good order, I suggest you start helping me get this ship sailing faster."

Emma stands glaring at Maggie for a moment and lets out a frustrated groan as she turns to stomp down the steps, with Regina and Red following her.

"Let's get this over with." She mutters.

Maggie, her smug smile back in place, calls after her.

"You seem tense Emma. You should really speak to your pirate about that."

Emma stops walking and swallows down a nasty retort before continuing to the deck.

Regina and Red follow Emma to the deck as she starts jerkily untangling some rigging.

"What the hell is going on?" asks Red, completely confused.

Emma throws her hands up in the air.

"I don't know. That is apparently Killian's ex-girlfriend and she kidnapping us for some purpose that she won't tell us about. [Emma looks at Red as a thought strikes her] I thought you were in Oz."

Red's face falls and she shrugs sadly.

"I just got back to town. I was sitting at Granny's having a drink and next thing I know… Regina is waking me on the ship."

Regina cuts in with a frown.

"I thought you and Dorothy were living it up in Oz."

A flash of pain crosses Red's face and she turns away.

"Yeah, well, I found out that sometimes someone can be _your_ true love, but that doesn't mean that you're _theirs_."

Regina and Emma share a look of shock and both reach out a comforting hand to Red.

Maggie leans over the helm and shouts.

"Look to your posts, ladies! It's gonna get bumpy soon."

Emma, Regina and Red all look around to see ominous-looking clouds off the port bow.

"That's where we are headed, girls. Look sharp! That portal is going to take us just where we need to go." Maggie says with an adventurous grin.

The Storybrooke woman all grab on to the closest piece of the ship to them and hang on tight.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Storybrooke docks_

Killian stands, watching the Jolly Roger disappear over the horizon.

David lays a tentative hand on Killian's shoulder.

"You alright?"

Killian keeps glaring out to sea.

"There are precious few things that I care about in _any_ world and that bitch just sailed off with _two_ of them." He says darkly, clenching his fists.

David drops his hand and turns to Snow with a silent plea for ideas.

Snow shifts Neal to the other arm and comes towards the men, saying,

"Emma and Regina can handle themselves. They both have magic again and Maggie's note _did_ say that she would return them."

Killian keeps silently fuming and David tries another tactic.

"Do you think Maggie would purposely hurt them?" he asks.

The question makes Killian think for a moment and his fists unclench slightly.

"No. Maggie has always looked after her crew. She's gone so far as to avenge them, should they fall in battle."

He blows out a big breath as Henry steps forward, still holding onto Violet.

"Well that's good then, right? My Moms should be ok?"

Killian begrudgingly nods.

"Aye. If Maggie can keep them safe, she will." He says as they all turn to walk back into town.

Killian spares one last glance to the sea and then follows them.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _The Jolly Roger, the other side of the portal_

Maggie is intently watching the horizon as she steers the Jolly Roger. Emma hears her murmuring softly to the ship as she walks up to talk to her.

"Do all captains talk to their ships like that?"

Maggie spares a swift glance to Emma.

"Only the ones worth their salt." She answers, conversationally.

Emma nods and leans her elbows against the railing beside the wheel, looking off to the horizon with Maggie.

"I've been thinking it over…" Emma begins.

"I think you need us for something in Tortuga. Something that requires magic."

She turns to study Maggie's stony face and then continues.

"You put magic around the ship to keep Regina and I on board but kept Killian and David off the ship. Are you going to let us in on what we are doing here?"

Maggie, uncharacteristically quiet and sombre, answers her after thinking for a while.

"I suppose the time has come for that." She says uncomfortably and Emma waits.

"I need you to help me rescue someone." She says with conviction.

Emma tilts her head to regard Maggie in a different light.

"Who are we rescuing?"

"A man I have been searching for a very long time."

Maggie says with a deadly glare over the water.

"The man I love was taken from me many years ago and now with your help, I can finally take him back."

Emma nods in agreement after considering.

"Okay. So, you need help. [she raises an annoyed eyebrow] You could have just asked for it."

Maggie matches her glare.

"And _you_ would have, in my place? You don't strike me as the type to go begging strangers for aid, either… and I couldn't risk the chance you would say 'no'."

Emma concedes.

"Fair enough. [looking back over the water] So, what's this loverboy's name? Just so we know that we are rescuing the right guy."

A soft smile crosses Maggie's face as she says his name.

"John Silver."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

 _The Jolly Roger_

"As in, _Long_ John Silver?" Emma asks and Maggie's eyes light up.

"You know him?"

"I know _of_ him. So, we are going to this pirate island to rescue a pirate. Sounds fun. What are we up against?" Emma asks in a business-like tone.

Maggie grins.

"I knew you had to be a girl who liked a little adventure." She says with a friendly grin at Emma.

And Emma tries to smother a smirk as Maggie continues.

"We'll be breaking onto Blackbeard's ship to release John from the hold." She says, sobering.

"Blackbeard? _That's_ who took John from you?" Emma asks incredulously.

Maggie ignores her outburst and suddenly looks Emma up and down.

"You ladies are going to need to blend in a sight better, if we're going to pull this off."

Maggie ties off the helm and moves to descend the ladder to the captain's quarters. Emma looks down at her clothes in question and then follows Maggie below deck.

She finds Maggie rifling through a large chest, pulling out articles of clothing. Emma is momentarily distracted by the sight of Killian's bed in the corner of the room. Visions of all the wonderfully decadent things they did to each other in that bed has Emma breathing unevenly.

Maggie looks at Emma, at the bed she's staring at and then grins at her.

"Don't worry darling, soon this will all be over and you can go back to raising the captain's pirate flag."

Emma snaps her eyes to Maggie's overly amused ones.

"What? No. I mean… let's just get this over with." She stammers before snatching the clothes out of Maggie's hands.

Regina and Ruby come down to join them.

"So, we came all this way to play dress-up?" Regina asks grouchily, frowning at the selection of clothes.

"Ooo… red leather pants!" Ruby squeals with delight, earning a smirk from Maggie and an eye roll from Regina.

Emma walks around the partition in the room, adjusting the leather vest that curves over her shoulders and under her bust. She is dressed in black and red striped pants, topped with a thick belt and buckle, a loose white shirt held in place by the leather vest and brown leather boots that come up over her knees.

"Is this right?" she asks doubtfully holding out her arms to show off her outfit. Maggie comes forward and ties a red bandana around Emma's forehead and musses her hair a bit.

"A little smudged eye-liner, a few more weapons and it's perfect." She says, standing back.

Regina looks up suddenly.

"What _is_ it with pirates and eye-liner, anyway?" she asks in a haughty tone.

"It keeps the glare off the water to a minimum." Maggie answers automatically.

Regina considers for a moment.

"Really?"

"No. We just like it." Maggie replies without expression, making Ruby snort before she can cover her laugh.

Regina looks at Emma in annoyance.

"Tell me again why we are helping this woman…?" she asks rhetorically as she continues trying to find clothing to her liking.

Maggie steps over to help Ruby do up the many small buckles holding her corset together.

"Thanks." She says with a smile and Maggie smiles back at her.

"You might need to lose the cloak, pet."

"I can't. Not unless you want me on four feet instead of two." She says shrugging, before leaning over in front of the small mirror to apply more eyeliner.

Maggie tilts her head in confusion at Ruby.

"Say again?"

Ruby raises her eyebrows at Maggie in the mirror.

"Oh, I thought you knew. I'm a werewolf."

"Really?" Maggie says with an intrigued voice, leaning against the wall beside the mirror.

"I had a werewolf on my crew once. She moved on after a couple years but we became great friends for a time."

Ruby spins towards Maggie.

"You knew another werewolf? What was her name?" she asks, excitedly.

Maggie squints her eyes in thought.

"Meg. I think it was Meg. Why? You all know each other?" she asks with a laugh.

Ruby slumps, disappointed slightly.

"No. I've just never met any werewolves other than my clan… and they're gone." She turns and leans against the wall beside Maggie to watch Emma try to apply eye-liner to Regina.

"Gone?" Maggie prompts, looking over at Red with a twinge of concern.

Ruby looks down and shrugs sadly again.

"I don't know what happened to them. I've searched but they're just… gone."

Ruby smiles brokenly.

"Seems to be what people do around me: Disappear."

Maggie looks at her with a disgusted expression.

"Why would anyone want to leave _you_?!" she asks incredulously, making Ruby's smile turn genuine.

"Werewolf. Remember?"

Maggie gives a disgusted huff.

"If people take issue with the wolf side of you, you don't need 'em in your life." Maggie says definitively.

Ruby and Maggie watch Regina criticize everything given to her and let Maggie's words hang between them.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Snow and David's apartment_

"Killian can you stop pacing in front of the TV?" Henry asks, looking up at him from the couch.

Killian looks at Henry and then the television as if he had forgotten they were there.

"Apologies, lad."

"Why don't you sit down and I'll put on a movie. It'll take your mind off things." Henry says, pausing his Xbox and putting his controller aside.

Killian sighs loudly and drops down heavily on the couch as Belle wanders in, holding Neal and shaking a baby bottle.

"Oh, can we try the history channel? I really enjoy those documentaries."

She says until she looks at the boys' sceptical faces.

"… or something with explosions and car chases…" she continues, settling into the arm-chair to give Neal his bottle.

Henry gives her a smirk and presses play on the 'Lethal Weapon' movie.

"Want me to order pizza for dinner, since Grandma and Grampa are out having date night?" Henry asks Killian and Belle as he stares at the screen.

Both nod in agreeable indifference and Henry reaches over to pick up the phone from the table beside the couch.

Killian, becoming engrossed in the movie, leans over and says,

"Extra pineapple." Before Belle pipes up.

"Oo, can you get chocolate chips?"

Killian and Henry look over at her with matching expressions of confused disgust and Henry covers the mouth piece of the phone to say to her,

"There are some in the cupboard." And he goes back to ordering them some pizzas.

Belle smiles happily and starts making faces at baby Neal to entertain him.

Pizzas ordered, the boys go back to watching the movie.

After a few minutes, Belle stands and gently shifts a napping Neal into Killian's lap.

"Sorry, but I really need to get to the toilet." She says with a hand over her small baby bump.

Killian easily holds the sleeping baby with one arm, careful to keep his hook away from the baby's soft skin. He smirks down at the little sleeping prince and softly bounces him a bit, before returning his gaze to the action on the screen.

Sometime later, a particularly loud action scene disturbs Neal and he starts fussing. Killian bounces the baby as best he can with one arm while Henry tries shushing Neal to soothe him.

Killian suddenly looks around and realizes that Belle has been gone for a long time.

"Henry, take Neal. I'm going to check on Belle." He says, moving Neal into his nephew's arms before jumping up from the couch.

Killian knocks lightly on the bathroom door.

"Belle? You alright in there, love?" he asks awkwardly. But there is no response or noise in answer.

Unease increasing, Killian glances back to Henry with a raised eyebrow of question. Henry shrugs at him, holding onto a wriggly Neal.

Killian knocks again.

"Belle? We're getting a bit concerned out here, love."

He knocks one more time and then turns the door knob, opening the door slowly.

Killian peers around the door.

"CALL THE DOCTOR!" he shouts over his shoulder at Henry as he runs the few steps and falls to his knees beside an unconscious Belle on the bathroom floor.

He scoops her up onto his lap as Henry runs in with Neal in one arm and the phone in the other.

Killian looks around for an explanation of Belle's state and sees a dark stain on the floor where Belle had been lying. Killian doesn't hesitate as he picks up Belle and stands. Covering the distance to the front door with long strides, Henry is there a second after him and opens the door for him. Killian sprints down the steps with Henry right behind him, clutching Neal.

"Take Mom's car!" Henry says worriedly at Killian as he shifts Neal in his arms and shoves the keys he grabbed off the table, into the passenger's side door of the yellow bug.

Killian places Belle on the seat and grabs the keys from Henry.

"Can you even drive a car?" Henry asks sceptically.

Killian nods once at him as he sprints around the car to the driver's side.

"Emma's been teaching me. Call Snow and David and tell them what's happened." He says hurriedly as he slides behind the wheel.

Henry stands back, holding Neal closer and listens to Killian grind the bug's gears as he pulls out and speeds away towards the hospital.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

 _Blackbeard's ship_

"Ahoy the ship!" Maggie yells up from their longboat. A face looks down over the side of Blackbeard's ship and scrutinizes the women in the boat through the darkness for a moment before grinning widely.

"What can we do for you ladies? The Cap'n is gone ashore."

Maggie smiles seductively at the leering man.

"Good thing we ain't here to see the Cap'n now innit?" she replies, dumbing down her speech convincingly.

The man disappears for a minute before a rope ladder is thrown down to the longboat.

Regina rolls her eyes and motions forward.

"Let's get this over with before our luck runs out, then."

Maggie climbs the ladder, followed by Emma, Regina and Ruby.

On the deck of the ship, a few dirty looking sailors had gathered to inspect the ladies as they smiled beguilingly at them. Maggie and Ruby stand back slightly as Emma and Regina step forward and suddenly throw their arms out towards the men, dousing them with magic.

All the sailors fall to the deck, sound asleep.

Regina and Emma turn back to Maggie and Ruby.

"That won't keep them out for long. We need to hurry. Which way?" Emma asks Maggie quickly.

Maggie walks by them and leads the way to the ladder leading below deck.

Emma and Regina follow Maggie closely, magicking a few straggling sailors to sleep, as they search the hold. Ruby brings up the rear, watching for ambushers.

Finally, they find a makeshift prison with one prisoner collapsed in a dirty heap of rags on the floor.

Maggie runs to the bars and loudly whispers to the man.

"John! John, wake up! We are here to rescue you, love!"

She reaches through the bars to clutch him and the man moves to sit up.

Maggie rears back and stares at the man.

"You are not my John." She says, eyes widened in disbelief. Emma crouches down beside Maggie and looks at the old, wrinkled man behind the bars.

"So where is John Silver?" she asks.

Maggie opens her mouth to reply but cannot seem to form words for a moment. Then in a small, broken voice, she says,

"He was meant to be _here_ …"

The old man collapses back to the floor and snores loudly as Regina crouches down on the other side of Maggie.

"Well, he's obviously not here. So, can we get out of here now before the entire ship wakes up and throws us in there with the drunken crypt-keeper?"

Emma nods at Regina and hauls Maggie to her feet before propelling her forward.

The woman hurry above deck and down the ladder to their longboat and start paddling away.

"Take me to shore, please." Maggie says quietly to the others.

Docking their boat at the wooden pier, the woman rush to tie off the boat and catch up to Maggie who immediately started walking into town.

"Where are we going now? This wasn't part of the plan." Regina says, looking at Maggie and then Emma. Emma shrugs at Regina as Ruby quickens her pace to walk beside Maggie.

"Are you alright?" she asks Maggie, studying her face.

Maggie doesn't answer but turns to throw open the door of a run-down looking tavern. The Storybrooke women follow Maggie inside, looking around as Maggie walks to the bar and gruffly says

"Rum. Bottle." Slamming gold coins down on the bar.

The bartender takes the coins and hands her a bottle with a bored expression. Maggie walks over, kicks out a chair from a table as she rips the top off the bottle of rum and falls into the chair, swinging her feet up onto the table.

Emma, Regina and Ruby stare at her from the bar. Regina draws in a breath, ready to complain but Emma cuts her off with a couple words to the bartender.

"Four glasses please."

The bartender raises an eye at her 'please' but hands over the glasses and Emma leads the other two to sit at the table with Maggie. Emma gives Regina a look that says 'leave it alone' and slides a glass over to Maggie before grabbing the bottle from her and pouring them all a drink.

They all sit drinking in silence; Maggie staring despondently at her drink and the others looking around at the tavern or sidelong at Maggie. Finally, Maggie speaks while a barmaid walks by collecting empty glasses.

"John wasn't there." She says in shock.

"No. He wasn't." Emma says with finality and Ruby reaches across the table to touch Maggie's hand in comfort.

"Any clue as to where else we can look to find your 'John Silver'?" Regina asks as she swirls her glass of untouched rum.

Maggie's eyes go unfocused again and Emma glares at Regina. She is about to tell off Regina for being insensitive when the barmaid leans towards them.

"You lookin' for John Silver, darlin's?" he asks and all four women look at her with surprise. Emma looks at Maggie's confused face and asks, cautiously.

"Yes… Do you know where we can find him?"

The busty barmaid grins at Emma and sticks a hand on her hip.

"Sure, he's in here almost every night. He went upstairs with Darcy bout an hour ago." She says with a laugh. Maggie's gaze zeroes in on the barmaid's face as she pulls her boots off the table and lets them fall with a 'thud' to the floor.

"Where?" she says in a low voice.

Emma glances at Maggie with concern.

The oblivious barmaid starts to turn away but shrugs and motions up the stairs.

"Third room on the right." And she walks away with arms full of dirty glasses.

There is a stalemate at the table as Emma, Regina and Ruby stare at Maggie with nervousness. Maggie slowly stands and the others nervously follow suit, falling in behind her as she walks to the stairs of the tavern and purposefully strides up to the second floor, stopping in front of the third door to the right.

Maggie lightly knocks on the door as she stares at the floor. They can hear a woman giggling on the other side of the door but no one answers. Maggie's strange calmness is starting to unnerve the other three as she raises her hand and knocks again.

This time a man's voice answers from behind the door.

"Bugger off! We're busy!" he shouts and Maggie's eyes shoot up to the door in a deadly glare.

Before Emma can stop her, Maggie kicks the door open and walks forward, raising her pistol at the couple in the bed before them.

"Maggie!" Ruby cries, reaching out to her.

The woman in the bed squeals and cowers to the side of the bed as the man jumps out, holding a crumpled bed sheet to cover his naked body.

"Shit! What the fuck?" he splutters, looking only at the gun pointed at him.

Rage rolls off Maggie and she says his name between gritted teeth.

"John…"

Regina rolls her eyes and lets out a huff of exasperation.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me…"

Emma and Ruby are slowly inching towards Maggie, hands raised.

John squints at Maggie and then a look of recognition crosses his face and he pales.

"Mags? You look… different, love."

Maggie narrows her eyes and steps forward to shove her pistol under John's jaw and her voice starts taking on a manic edge.

"Do I, _love_? Ten years of searching for someone will do that, won't it?"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Storybrooke Hospital_

Killian squeals the tires of the yellow bug as he rounds the corner to the emergency entrance of the hospital and bumps into a post before coming to a complete stop at the double doors. Doctor Whale and some nurses come running out, obviously alerted to the situation by Henry.

Doctor Whale rips the passenger side door open and starts firing questions at Killian as he picks up Belle a places her on a stretcher.

"What happened? The boy just said something about blood."

Killian rounds the front of the bug to follow Doctor Whale inside the hospital.

"I don't know. We just found her lifeless on the bathroom floor." He gestures to Belle as she is wheeled away.

"Mate, she's pregnant and I think she's bleeding from her… lady parts." He says awkwardly.

Doctor Whale stops for a moment to face Killian as the nurses stop the stretcher in the ER and start buzzing around attaching tubes and pressing buttons.

"Okay. Anything else I should know?" he asks quickly.

Killian shakes his head.

"That's all I know, mate."

With a terse nod, Doctor Whale signals a nurse and Killian is shoved backwards out of the way and a curtain is slid across his view of Belle.

Killian stumbles backwards in shock and looks down at his arms and shirt, covered in Belle's blood.

A few minutes later, Snow, Henry and David holding Neal, come running into the ER and towards Killian. Snow's eyes widen as she takes in the blood covering Killian.

"Oh my god! Is Belle alright?" she asks frantically, as they come to a stop in front of Killian.

"I don't know. They're still working on her." He says shaking his head. Snow turns to press her face into David's shoulder with a sob. David leads her to the chairs in the waiting area and leaves her with Henry and Neal before walking back to Killian.

"What do you think?" he asks after a deep breath and crossing his arms.

"I don't know, mate. I've seen my share of blood but I don't think I've ever felt that frightened of it." He says, staring intently at the curtain in front of him.

David rubs a hand over his jaw, not knowing how to respond.

Doctor Whale suddenly moves the curtain aside and steps towards Killian and David. The men straighten instantly and wait for the doctor to speak.

"Okay, we've stabilized Belle and we did an ultrasound to check the baby and it seems fine but we will be doing a bit more extensive testing to make certain and to find out exactly what happened."

Killian nods and David thanks the doctor before he disappears again behind the curtain. They both sigh loudly with relief before walking over to Snow and Henry to tell them the news.

Killian collapses into a chair across from the curtain and rests his elbows on his knees as he hangs his head.

A few minutes later, a plume of dark red smoke appears in the waiting room and a very agitated Gold looks over at him. Killian silently points to the curtain as Gold strides towards him.

"The good doctor says that she's stable now." He says in an exhausted voice.

Gold regards Killian for a moment before turning to push aside the curtain and see Belle. No one dares tell Gold that he shouldn't be there as he walks up to caress Belle's face.

"Our child?" he asks softly to the doctor, not taking his eyes from Belle.

Doctor Whale looks anxiously at Gold.

"The baby seems to be fine. We are doing more testing to figure out what happened."

Gold nods once and goes back to tucking a strand of Belle's hair behind her ear as people scurry around them.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Tavern, Tortuga_

Maggie's gun is pressing against the underside of John Silver's chin and she is starting to shake with rage. Emma and Ruby are almost close enough to touch her but Regina stands back to keep a wary eye on all of them.

"Honestly, Mags. I thought you would just forget about me after a while…" John is saying, making Maggie's disposition even worse but he continues.

"What we had was fun but I never thought you'd look for me for this long…"

The more he speaks, the closer Maggie gets to squeezing the trigger.

Emma clenches her jaw and glares at John.

"Dude, just shut the fuck up!" she spits out for his own good.

Ruby tentatively touches Maggie's shoulder and softly says,

"You don't need him, Maggie. You don't need him in your life." Repeating Maggie's own words back to her.

Maggie slowly stops shaking and loosens her grip on the gun slightly. Ruby takes an encouraging step closer and wraps a supportive hand around Maggie's arm, slowly pushing her arm down. Still murmuring soft words, Ruby turns Maggie completely towards her and offers a minute smile to the blank look on Maggie's face.

Emma watches John glance at the lowered gun in Maggie's hand and takes a menacing step toward him.

"I wouldn't…" she threatens as Ruby guides an almost catatonic Maggie from the room. Emma backs out and then follows Ruby and Maggie down the steps.

Regina looks in the room at John and smiles cruelly for a moment before flicking her wrist in his direction and then closing the door and following her friends down the stairs. The other three walking to the tavern door, Regina detours to grab the bottle of rum off their table and then rushes to catch up.

The women climb into their longboat in silence and row back to the Jolly Roger.

Ruby helps Maggie down to the captain's quarters while Emma and Regina sit down on the steps leading up to the helm.

"Well _that_ was a big waste of time." Regina says finally.

Emma sighs and shakes her head.

"I don't think that turned out like _anyone_ thought it would."

Regina smirks furtively.

"Even John Silver."

Emma looks up at Regina questioningly.

With a smug smile, Regina says,

"I may have left John with a small reminder of his infidelity." And Emma looks at her with more confusion.

Regina clarifies as she grins proudly.

"Let's just say, he may have a bit of trouble in the bedroom from now on."

Emma looks at Regina with bugged eyes before bursting out laughing.

"You can be one scary lady sometimes, Regina." She says between bouts of laughter.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

 _Storybrooke Hospital_

Killian is still sitting in the same hospital chair, two hours later. He's goten up only once, to wash the blood from his hands and change into the shirt that David brought for him. The curtain opens once more and Doctor Whale walks towards Killian, with Gold watching them both intently from Belle's side.

Killian rises to greet the doctor.

"How is she?" Killian asks immediately.

"She lost quite a bit of blood and we will keep her here for a few days under observation but we still don't know what caused the blood loss." Doctor Whale says.

"And the child?" Killian asks as Snow and David hurry over to them.

Whale nods to Snow and David and answers.

"We can find no problem with the baby. It seems to be doing just fine." He finishes with an encouraging half-smile.

"Thank goodness." Snow says with a sigh, placing a hand over her chest in relief.

Gold walks past them, giving them all a stern nod as he walks away down the hallway.

"Killian?..." Belle's weak voice whispers from her bed.

Killian ducks around the doctor and scoots to her side.

"Belle. How are you, love?" he says, scanning her face. She smiles feebly at him and grasps his fingers.

"Killian, thank you for saving me and my child. If it weren't for you, I…" she trails off, tearing up.

Killian shushes her and gives her a big grin, flashing her his dimples.

"Darling, think nothing of it. Just you concern yourself with getting well again and baking that strong little nipper a bit longer." He says, gesturing to her stomach with a wink.

Belle grips his fingers tighter for a moment, smiling at him and then releasing him. She thanks him one more time before her eyelids get heavy and Killian makes a bowed exit to let her rest.

Killian re-joins Doctor Whale, Snow and David as Henry walks up, juggling a crying Neal in his arms. Snow takes Neal from Henry and looks to Killian.

"How is she?"

Killian gives her a small smile and a nod.

"She's resting now but she seems alright now. [he rubs a hand over his face] So, I think I'll head off then and catch some shut-eye before morning."

Snow places a hand on his shoulder.

"Of course. You can nap at our place if you want. David is going to stay here for a while but you can jump in the truck with me and Neal. You too, Henry." She says turning to the boy.

"Actually Grandma, I was going to ask Killian if he wanted to crash out at Mom's house with me. He already has some clothes there and my school stuff is there too." He says with a questioning look at Killian.

Killian gives a silent nod of acceptance and turns to Snow. She smiles at them as she accepts the baby bag from David.

"Sure. But maybe I'll drive you guys over… [sharing a look with David and Henry] and then David can drive Emma's car back later." She says as she gives David a quick kiss.

"Anything to keep the pirate out of the driver's seat?" Henry says with a grin at Killian which he returns and bumps Henry's arm with his own.

Half an hour later, Killian falls onto Emma's bed in exhaustion. Henry is asleep in the room down the hall, promising to set an alarm for school and wake Killian up for breakfast.

Killian has the world's fastest shower to wash off the hospital smell and blood before he drops onto the bed, only to be assailed with Emma's scent. He rolls over and pushes his face into the pillow, breathing in the smell of his love and falls asleep to dream of Emma.

The next morning, Killian rises early as he always does, dresses and goes down stairs to start breakfast for Henry. As he reaches the kitchen there is a sharp knock at the front door and Killian sees the outline of Mr. Gold through the glass.

"Bloody wonderful." He grumbles as he walks to open the door and plasters a fake grin on his face.

"Dark One. What can I do for you early this morning?"

"Captain." He says as greeting as he regards Killian for a moment. Killian, refusing to grant him entrance to the house waits for Gold to state his business.

"Doctor Whale told me of what you did for Belle." He says with seeming annoyance.

"It seems I am in your debt and that is a place that I prefer not to be." He struggles out.

Killian tries to dismiss him.

"I didn't save Belle to put _you_ into my debt. I did it because your wife was bleeding to death on a bathroom floor." He says as if his honour is being questioned.

Gold matches Killian's ire.

"Regardless of your intentions at the time, I _do_ owe you a debt and I have come to pay that debt." He says through gritted teeth.

Killian narrows his eyes at Gold with confusion and uneasiness.

"What?"

Gold looks away in annoyance for a moment before turning back to Killian and pointing down at Killian's steel hook.

Killian looks down and staggers backwards a step upon seeing a hand where his hook just was. Gold uses Killian's momentary speechlessness to explain.

"I know you have a strange affinity for that enchanted hook of yours so now you can have the benefit of both."

Killian looks at him in fearful shock.

"Simply think of the hook, and it shall appear. If you require your hand, it shall return. I give you this magic freely; it is yours to control."

Killian looks down at his new hand and squints at it, causing the hook to reappear with a small 'puff' of gray smoke.

After a moment, Killian brings his hand back and looks up at Gold suspiciously.

"What's the catch, Dark One?"

Gold taps his cane on the porch floor and looks Killian in the eye.

"There is no catch. But I trust this erases any debt accrued between us." He says waiting for an agreement.

Killian, still uneasy, nods his head at Gold apprehensively.

"Aye." He says as Henry comes stomping down the steps behind him.

Gold tips his head and turns to leave.

"Good day, Captain."

Killian closes the door and turns to Henry who had walked up behind him.

"What was Mr. Gold doing here?" he asks curiously.

Killian turns to look at Henry with unease and holds up his new hand.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _The Jolly Roger_

Maggie sits at the large desk in the captain's quarters, passing the bottle of rum back and forth with Ruby, who is sitting on the other side of the desk.

"It was all a lie." Maggie says disbelievingly as she takes a long drag from the bottle and passes it back to Ruby.

She takes a drink and asks,

"Can I ask what happened with him?"

Maggie lets out a long breath and shakes her head.

"I was so stupid." She begins bitterly.

"He was just waiting for me on the dock when I went ashore one day. He was charming and though I rejected him at first, he pursued me and then he was suddenly just… part of my life. We were together for two years; plundering ships and evading authority."

She took another deep breath and went on.

"Then one morning, I woke up alone with a blazing pain in my head. My ship had been stripped and my crew was missing, along with John." She paused, as if seeing the story differently for the first time.

"I found my crew adrift in row boats but they told me that John had been taken. They claimed that it was Blackbeard and his crew that had sacked us and taken John."

Taking another big drink of rum she goes on and Ruby listens quietly.

"I was so stupid."

Ruby leans forward suddenly.

"No. You're not stupid. You were in love. You trusted him and he betrayed you. This is _his_ fault, not yours." She says fiercely.

Just then they both stop to listen to a sudden rumble in the distance.

The women both look at each other with alarm and Emma yells down from the deck at them.

"I THINK WE ARE GOING TO NEED SOME HELP UP HERE!"

And Maggie and Ruby run for the ladder. Vaulting onto the deck, Maggie looks around and spots a ship in the distance.

"Bloody hell. It's the 'Revenge'." She mutters and spits on the floor.

Emma, Regina and Ruby look at her for explanation.

"'Queen Anne's Revenge. Blackbeard's ship. If we weren't at a dead stop, we could outrun her but she's got us cornered here. [looking to Emma and Regina] What magic have you got for defence?"

Emma and Regina look at each other and then back to Maggie.

"Not enough." Regina says.

Maggie, thinking fast, changes tactic and starts looking around frantically as she says,

"Then we play it smart. I'll ask a for parley with Blackbeard."

Regina looks at her incredulously.

"He just shot at us and you're gonna invite him over for a chat over tea?"

Maggie glares at Regina, as she pulls a black flag out of a chest near the helm.

"It was just a warning shot and he knows he's got us out-matched in every way. So unless you have a spell up your sleeve that will move this ship fifty leagues out to sea, I don't see another option, princess."

Regina arches an eyebrow at her as Maggie attaches the black flag to a rope and hoists it up.

"Queen…" she corrects haughtily

"Wonderful." Maggie says without listening as she watches the other ship intently. Seeing the answering black flag being hoisted on Blackbeard's ship, she relaxes slightly and turns back to the others.

"Alright. Now ladies, you're going to keep all your mouths shut. As far as those men are concerned; you are all just crew. No magic, no Storybrooke and just agree with anything I say…" She turns to watch the approaching longboat with apprehension.

"…And we may just get out of this with our lives…"

"Okay but what exactly is your plan? I really doubt these guys want to just shake hands and part ways." Emma asks, walking up beside her.

"Not knowing what they want, I can't say I _have_ a plan."

Emma glances at a slightly amused Maggie and sighs as she helps throw the rope ladder over the side of the ship for the new-comers.

A few minutes later, men start climbing onto the deck of the Jolly Roger and Maggie slides her 'Captain' persona back into place.

Until the last man aboard lifts his head and grins at her.

"Hey there, Mags. Good to see you again, darling." John Silver says with a sneer.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

 _Granny's Diner_

Killian sits with Henry, David and Snow holding Neal, staring at his hand and then switching it to his hook and back again.

"Stop playing with that thing, you'll go blind…" David says with annoyed amusement to Killian, sitting across from him in the diner booth. Snow rolls her eyes and elbows her husband while Henry looks at his grandfather with an expression of confusion.

Snow shakes her head at Henry, silently saying 'don't ask' and Killian glances at David but mostly ignores the joke he didn't get.

"So, What are you going to do first, with it?" Henry asks innocently and without thinking, Killian smirks to himself and says,

"Emma." And then hurriedly continues to cover his blunder.

"… will be pleased that I can… help more with household duties… and such…" he finishes with an awkward smile as David glares at him as Snow mumbles something about men being all the same.

Killian turns his head at the sound of a soft rumble in the distance but doesn't have the chance to say anything before everyone jumps at the following sound of an explosion outside.

David and Killian give each other an agreeable look as they all run for the door.

Standing outside with a few others who heard the explosion, they all stare at rather large hole just below the clock on top of the library. Everyone's head turning in the opposite direction, they see two ships, with all their cannons aimed at the town.

"Bloody hell…" Killian starts.

"That's the Jolly Roger, but who's ship is the other one?" Snow asks, cradling Neal to her chest.

"That…" Killian begins, glaring darkly at the other ship.

"… belongs to the _second_ most fearsome pirate of all time; Blackbeard. But that cannon was shot from the Roger. What the blazes is Maggie playing at?" he asks no one as he starts taking fast steps towards the docks.

The blue fairy walks to Snow and without a word takes Neal with an understanding smile.

"Thanks." Snow says as she hurries to catch up to Killian, David and Henry.

Killian rounds the corner of the last building before the docks and comes to a screeching halt at the sight before him.

Standing up on the railing that runs along the broad side of the Jolly Roger, hands tied behind them, is Emma, Maggie, Regina and Ruby. Behind them on the deck are men holding guns trained on the women's backs.

Killian stands staring in shock, eyes locked with Emma as Blackbeard walks forward with an evil grin to address the gathering crowd.

"What a beautiful town." He says, turning to address the women precariously standing on the railing.

"I can see that all the tales of this land were true."

Killian yells up at him.

"What the hell do you want here, Blackbeard?" and Blackbeard peers down at him with amused disgust.

"That you, Jones? Didn't recognise you there looking like a _princeling_." He says, spitting the last word out with a sneer.

"Still more than a match for the likes of you, old man." He retorts with a deadly glare.

"Are you now? You don't even have a ship anymore, _boy_!" Blackbeard says with a big laugh and all his men join in the laughter.

"I've got your ship, your women and your town as hostage. What will you challenge me with? That little pig-sticker at the end of your arm?" he says, relishing the taunts.

David steps forward to hold Killian back.

Blackbeard sobers after his laughter fades and looks around at the crowd.

"Now, to business. Our present home port has, in recent years, become unsavoury and we tire of it. We seek a new place to make our own and your town shows great potential." he proclaims as if this is happy news for all.

"Like hell, we'll let you turn this town into another depraved pirate port." Killian bites out and Blackbeard leans over the side of the ship more to look him in the eyes.

"There was a time you called that 'depraved port', your home. So you can drop your high and mighty attitude, _princeling_ …" he growls at Killian.

"But as a show of good faith, I will release one of the hostages to y-"

"The blonde." Killian says too quickly and Blackbeard grins.

"You're slipping, my old friend. Years ago, you never would have shown your cards so easily…"

But he turns and motions to the men to release Emma.

Killian spares Blackbeard a wary glance but keeps his eyes glued to the men roughly pulling Emma and the others down from the railing.

"The other women will be kept until our authority in this town becomes unchallenged. They will be treated well. But _should_ we be challenged… well…" he leaves the thought unfinished and turns away.

A couple dirty, dishevelled pirates tie Emma's hands to a rope and lower her down slowly to where Killian is waiting.

Before her feet can touch the dock, Killian has her in his arms and she is surrounded by her family. Killian grips her in a tight bear hug before pulling back to look in her eyes.

"What. The. Blazes. Is. Going. On.?" He asks, enunciating each word as he shakes with controlled anger.

Emma looks tentatively back at the Roger and then starts pulling Killian by the hand towards town.

"I'll explain it all, but not here." She says, absently thinking that something is different.

Emma enters the diner and Killian pulls her to a stop to hold the door for the others and Emma suddenly looks at him in shock. Killian smirks at her as she stares at his hand on the door and then at the hand holding hers.

"Wha…?" she looks up at his twinkling eyes as the others pass them to enter the diner and sit at a table.

"You promised explanations, first, I believe, Love." Killian says, dropping into a chair and pulling her down to the chair next to him, whispering in her ear when she bends to sit.

"And then we are going to discuss your new attire, darling."

Emma looks at Killian and catches his incredibly lustful gaze down her body.

David clears his throat, bringing them both back to the present. And Emma turns to address her parents and son.

"Right. So. Here's the thing…" and she goes on to describe what has happened up to the point of John Silver boarding the Jolly Roger with the crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge.

Snow sits back in her chair with a confused expression and then asks.

"So, how did they even _know_ about Storybrooke? And _why_ would he want our town?"

Killian answers her.

"I can answer you that. Tortuga is an absolute font of information. Sailors from all over gather there and swap stories. As for the ' _why'_ of Blackbeard's intentions; it's quite simple, really. He's bored."

At everyone's incredulous looks, he goes on.

"He's long since become the lord of Tortuga and so the pirates are content and everything's working well. But pirates don't do well when things run too smoothly. They like a challenge [he says looking at Emma] So that's why he's here. To pillage and plunder the town for fun." Killian says matter-of-factly.

Emma nods to back up his statement and Killian moves a loose strand of her hair back with his hook. Emma does a double take and opens her mouth to comment but he cuts her off.

"Soon." He says with a wink and so she goes back to the conversation at hand with a last curious glance at his hook.

"That's the impression I got too." She sighs and rubs a hand over her face.

David looks at her concernedly.

"Go home and rest, Emma. We can all have a think on a plan of action and meet at our place in a couple hours. Yeah?" he says looking around.

Henry grabs his backpack off the floor as he stands.

"I'm gonna go tell Violet what's happening and meet you all later." He hugs his Mom and is off, out the door.

Snow and David hug Emma and then leave to find the Blue Fairy.

Emma turns to Killian as he stands and she pins him with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, now what is up with your hand, hook… situation…" she says awkwardly.

Killian smiles at her and takes her hand in his new one, leading her out the door and around to the alley beside the diner.

Within seconds Killian has Emma pressed against the wall and has his mouth on hers. His hands are _both_ sliding up and down Emma's body.

"We still have to have that discussion about how you are dressed, darling." He says against her throat as her draws his tongue down over her pulse point to her collarbone.

Emma lets out a ragged breath and smiles as her eyes close.

"If I knew I would get _this_ reaction, I would have dressed like this _months_ ago."

Killian is unbuckling the leather vest under her breasts and untucking her white shirt while he spreads her legs with his knee.

Emma drapes her arms around Killian's shoulders and relishes the feeling of her pirate against her. One hand going to her face to draw her into a deep kiss, Killian's other hand pulls open the strings of her pants and dives in under her panties to caress her folds.

"Ah, oh, god. Killian! We should go home. We could get caught here!" she says suddenly looking around wildly. Killian doesn't stop and looks into her eyes as she moans from his touch.

"No. You are going to come right here, Emma. I need to see you unravel for me, Love."

The thrill of possibly getting caught takes Emma higher as Killian palms her breast under her shirt. The fingers of his new hand are curling inside her and his thumb is gently rubbing her clit in wet circles. He can feel her start to clench down on his fingers as her release approaches.

"Come for me, my naughty pirate." He whispers in her ear before sucking her lobe into his mouth.

And she is lost. Emma bites down hard on her lip to keep from screaming his name to the whole town and he holds her as she bucks and thrashes through her orgasm.

Killian gently removes his fingers from inside her and holds her up by her waist as he lowers his leg from between hers, kissing her softly.

Emma steadies herself and looks up into Killian's smiling eyes. He starts trying to right her clothing, saying,

"Maybe it _is_ time to get home, Love."

Emma grins at him as he pulls her from the alley and looks around for people before leading her down the sidewalk towards her house as she laughs and tries to hold her clothes together.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _The Jolly Roger_

Maggie, Regina and Ruby sit with their backs against the side of the ship, within their barred cell in the hold. John Silver stands leaning against a barrel on the other side of the bars with an ugly grin, watching Maggie.

"I can't believe you never figured it out, Mags. I always thought you were smart." He says and then laughs. Maggie is sitting with her arms propped on her knees and her head back against the ship and her eyes closed.

"You never thought that maybe I'd joined up with Blackbeard to sack your ship?" he looks up pensively and adds,

"It was fun there for a while. [he laughs at a memory] I don't think there was a single member of your crew that didn't catch us screwing _somewhere_ on your ship." He says, looking up to grin at Maggie and meeting the suddenly bright amber eyes of Ruby, glaring at him.

He quirks his head at Ruby and steps closer to her. Regina notices John's new interest in Ruby and elbows her and she lowers her eyes to the floor.

"What was that? There's something off about you…" he says getting closer to the bars to study Ruby.

At his words, Maggie's eyes pop open and she looks over at Ruby, who glances side long up at her with wolf eyes before looking down again.

Maggie tries to grab John's attention.

"Weren't you in the middle of telling me how stupid I am?" Maggie says as she shifts closer to Ruby and barely touches her fingers with her own.

Regina 'huffs' and stands, drawing everyone's attention as she smiles at John.

"Well, as enlightening as all this is, it won't matter when our friends bitch slap all you boys back through that portal."

As Regina and John start a verbal dual of threats, Maggie catches Ruby's eyes and smiles when she sees that they have returned to green. Ruby smirks back at her and leans closer to hide their entwined fingers.

Regina evidently having won the battle wits with John, smirks at his frustrated, retreating back as he storms away. He is quickly replaced by another guard and Regina sits down; smug, and oblivious to the moment shared between the pretty werewolf and the lavender-haired captain.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N Review pleeeease. What do you think so far? Cheers.**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

 _Snow and David's Apartment_

Emma and Killian walk into the apartment sharing wide grins, wet hair, fresh clothes and coffees.

Emma looks at David and he raises an eyebrow at her in question.

"I think you look _more_ tired than you did before."

"We opted for caffeine and showers instead of sleep." She says raising her coffee cup and walking past him with a smirk at his slightly disgusted expression. Killian just shrugs and smiles openly around his coffee cup as he leans against the wall.

"Emma…" David begins with a chastising tone at Emma.

She has walked over to lean against the kitchen counter next to her mother but at his tone, she looks up with warning in her eyes.

"Really? You wanna go there, _tacos_?!" she says with a challenging look.

Snow bursts out in nervous giggles and blushes and David stands with his mouth open, nothing to say. Killian leans to the side to look around David at Emma and mouths 'tacos' in question and Emma just shakes her head and laughs.

"Okay, moving on, I think…" she says, saving them all from more awkwardness as Henry walks through the door and slumps his backpack to the floor.

"What'd I miss?" he asks, going straight for the fridge, in search of a snack.

"Not much" Snow says as she smothers a smile and walks away to pick a waking Neal up from his crib.

Henry, unaware of the humour lingering in the room, looks at his mother as he munches on a leftover slice of pizza.

"Okay. Well, we better get down to figuring out how to get Regina, Ruby and Maggie off that ship."

"AND get my ship _back!"_ Killian adds quickly with a pointed look.

David looks annoyedly at him as Emma goes on.

"Any ideas? Cause the longer we wait, the more likely it is that Regina will just start blasting her way out of that ship." She says and Killian winces.

Henry pipes up.

"Well, you should probably know that the ships have moved out to sea a bit. I saw them when I was walking here from Violet's house."

Killian's gaze narrows in thought.

"He doesn't want to run the risk of anyone sneaking on or _off_ the ships."

"That complicates things." Emma says as Snow walks back holding Neal in her arms.

"Maybe not. It actually might work in our favour." Snow says and everyone looks at her excited face, expectantly.

"Ariel. She had a bracelet that gave the wearer fins like a mermaid. I had it on once. Terribly uncomfortable but it might give us the element of surprise while their guard is down out there."

Emma sips her coffee as she turns the idea over in her mind.

"Okay, but if it's Ariel's bracelet, how do we get it? Ariel is off on some island with her prince."

Snow shakes her head.

"No, she left the bracelet with Belle when she came here from Neverland to get Pandora's box for Rumpelstiltskin."

After catching up with Snow's explanation, Emma brightens.

"So, we have a way to _get_ to the ship. Then what?"

Killian steps forward with a look of dark satisfaction.

"Then we take the ship, darling."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _The Beach of Storybrooke. Night._

"I can't believe I'm doing this. Do I have to take my pants off?" Emma asks as she sits on a rock beside the water.

"No."

"Yes."

Snow and Killian say at the same time and Emma rolls her eyes with a chuckle.

Snow gives a withering look at a gleefully grinning Killian and David lightly punches his arm.

"Not the time, pirate." David says.

"Ready?" Snow asks Emma.

"Wait. So, the plan is for me to swim over and try sneaking onto the Jolly Roger to find Regina and then the two of us can take back the ship with our magic? Seriously? That's the best we can come up with?"

Snow looks at her daughter thoughtfully.

"Well… yeah."

"Great. Nothing could possibly go wrong with _that_ plan." Emma says sarcastically but holds out her wrist to her mother and Snow places the cuff on Emma's wrist.

In a swirl of smoke, a long, sapphire-coloured tail appears where Emma's legs were. Emma looks down and experimentally gives the fins a little flick.

"Well, that's a new one for me." She says nervously as she takes a resigned breath and starts shedding her leather jacket and shirt.

David looks down and Killian just stands watching with one side of his mouth curving into a grin as he runs the pad of his thumb down over his bottom lip.

"Too bad the tail doesn't come with one of those fetching clamshell… coverings…" he finishes, waving a hand at Emma's chest and earning another punch from David.

"Give it a rest, Hook." He says with irritation.

"Sorry mate, but first the pirate attire and now a mermaid?" Killian cocks his head at David and holds up his hands in a helpless what-do-you-expect motion.

Emma has stripped to her white tank top and sits waiting with Snow for the men to stop arguing.

"Shut up and come here, pirate." Emma says to Killian and he saunters over to get close.

"Mom, Dad, turn around for a minute." She says before straightening her spine and reaching up to grip the collar of his leather jacket and pull herself up closer to Killian's lips. Snow and David turn away and Snow takes David's hand, smirking at his discomfort.

Emma presses her lips to Killian's, delving her tongue deep into his mouth to battle with his. She gasps as he grips her waist and presses himself against her. Emma's new tail curls around Killian's leg as their kiss deepens and they start breathing heavily.

Emma sighs softly against his mouth and then motions for him to put her down again.

"Sorry, Mom and Dad. I just wanted to be able to say goodbye this time, before leaping into battle."

Snow and David turn back around and Killian backs up a step, keeping his obvious arousal faced away from her parents.

Emma smiles coyly and blows him a kiss, then waves at her parents and slips backwards into the water.

"Does that bracelet make her a mermaid or a bloody siren…" Killian asks quietly to the water as he watches Emma swim away.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _The Jolly Roger_

Regina sleeps with her head resting on her wadded up jacket as she had refused to touch anything in the cell that she didn't have to.

Maggie lays with her head against Ruby's thigh as Ruby absently plays with a strand of her hair.

"So, how did the purple happen?" she asks softly and Maggie smirks.

"Well let's just say, it's a riveting tale involving a rather irritated unicorn and an unintentional insult. Thus…" Maggie says as she motions a hand to her hair.

"Wow. Really?" Ruby says, smiling at Maggie as she sits up, facing Ruby as she gives a quiet chuckle.

"Yes."

"I'd like to hear that tale some time." Ruby says with a smile.

Maggie smiles back and reaches out to touch the bottom of Ruby's chin.

"Anytime, pet." She says as Ruby catches her fingers and holds them for a moment, watching Maggie's eyes, before tentatively pulling her closer.

All casualness fades from the women's faces as Maggie glances down at Ruby's lips and opens her own with a small intake of breath.

They both lean in towards each other but with their lips mere centimetres away, a loud 'thunk' from the deck above, has them looking up.

Regina sits up, suddenly awake.

Maggie and Ruby drop their hands and look away from each other quickly as the door of the brig flies open and John Silver comes in holding a pistol.

"On your feet, Ladies." He hisses out as he unlocks the cell, ushering them out. Pushing the women above deck, John looks around nervously as he circles, keeping the pistol on them.

A few crew men are lying on the deck unconscious and a couple more are stepping around as nervously as John.

"Regina?" Emma yells out and Regina arches a brow and looks around.

"Emma?" she calls before John shoves the gun closer to her in warning.

"Yeah. It's time to get off the ship, your majesty." She shouts from an unseen shadow.

Regina smiles evilly, understanding Emma's hint to use her magic, she flicks her wrist and one by one, all the men except John fall to the deck in deep sleep.

John has moved to grab Maggie by the throat and is hiding behind her with his gun to her temple.

"Not so fast, witch." He says between gritted teeth backing away from Regina.

Regina steps closer and holds a fireball in the air above her hand.

"You throw that and you'll hit Maggie." John says in a nervous voice.

Regina laughs.

"Oh, I'm not going to throw it. I just needed you to look at it."

John's expression is confused until he hears a deep growl from directly behind him. His head whips around to see Ruby in werewolf form a second before she lunges and sinks her teeth into his forearm.

Regina waves her hand again and with Maggie out of the way, her magic hits its target and John falls to the deck in the deep slumber like the other crew members.

Maggie kneels next to Ruby and carefully strokes her fur as Regina steps up and hands over Ruby's cloak for Maggie to throw across the wolf.

"You can come out now, Saviour." Regina says in a very irritated voice as she looks around for Emma.

"Where _are_ you?"

"Down here. We made a slight miscalculation with our plan and I needed to improvise." She says as Regina, Maggie and Ruby follow her voice and peer over the side of the ship.

"Your friend didn't have fins before, correct?" Maggie asks Regina and Ruby with a laugh as they stare open-mouthed at Emma, swimming around below them.

"Can you sail the Jolly Roger back to the docks by yourselves?"

"Aye, flippers. We can manage that but the 'Revenge' is going to notice our straying." Maggie warns.

Emma swishes around below them.

"Ideas?"

"A few extra crew and we may be able to plan a tactical offence on the 'Revenge'." Maggie offers.

"Done. I'll get our people here within the hour."

"Stealth is our only advantage right now. Be careful." Maggie says, walking away to go tie up John Silver and the others.

Emma swims away and Regina and Ruby turn to help Maggie with tying up the prisoners.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N My muse has up and run away on me. I really struggled with this chapter but hopefully that tempestuous muse makes her way back to me. I still may change this ch. But thought I would post it and see what you think.**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

 _Storybrooke Beach_

Belle stands on the sidewalk near the hospital exit doors, holding her bag as Ashley comes driving up in an old pickup truck. She hops out and smiles at Belle as she rounds the front of the truck to take Belle's arm and grab her bag.

"How are you feeling, Belle? Killian called and asked if I could pick you up today because he is off with the others, saving the day." She says with a laugh.

Belle smiles warmly at her, silently blessing that pirate for his thoughtfulness, as she lets Ashley assist her into the truck.

"That's alright. They came by yesterday and briefly told me what is happening." Belle says as she pulls her seatbelt across her stomach.

Ashley slides into the driver's seat and with a sidelong glance at Belle, asks nervously,

"Am I allowed to ask what happened?"

Belle gives her a quick smile before looking down at her stomach, running a hand over its slight swell, making her fingers tingle slightly.

"I don't actually know. No one does. I was just bleeding and passed out but everything seems to be fine." She finishes with a shrug as Ashley starts the truck and pulls away.

After a moment's thought, Ashley says before chuckling.

"Well, thank heavens for one-handed pirates."

Belle smiles widely and laughs.

"Yes. For a man who tried to kill me twice, he's really redeemed himself."

Running a hand over her baby belly again, Belle winces slightly when she gets a small shock; almost as if she brushed a live wire. She shakes her hand and goes back to chatting with Ashley as they drive towards Snow and Charming's apartment.

Henry is there waiting on the sidewalk to help Belle out of the car and up the steps to the apartment.

"I feel fine, really. You don't need to wait on me." She says with a small blush as she sits down on the couch.

"It's alright. I don't mind. The others are out dealing with the pirate crisis. They've taken back the Jolly Roger and are going to try to capture the other ship soon." Henry says as he moves about the apartment.

"That sounds dangerous." Belle says with concern.

Henry shrugs and grins at her from the kitchen.

"They have two pirate captains, a saviour, a magic queen, a bandit, a werewolf and a prince. I think they'll be okay."

"I hope you're right, Henry." Belle says worriedly.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Killian sits on a rock, throwing pebbles into the water while Snow and David sit on a log not far away, waiting for Emma's return.

Suddenly, Regina appears in a puff of purple smoke, hands on her hips.

"I thought I would speed up the process of moving you all to the ship." She says to their curious faces.

Just then Emma silently swims up onto the rock beside Killian and he jumps when he feels her hand sliding over his thigh. His head whips around and he grins at her.

"Welcome back, saucy siren." Killian says as he leans in to claim her offered lips.

"Ahem." Regina pointedly clears her throat to get Emma and Killian's attention. They hesitantly cease an increasingly heated kiss and both look to where Regina and the Charming's are waiting.

Emma pulls herself up onto Killian's lap to address her parents and dangle her tail in the water.

"So, did anyone know that I can't take this thing off?" she asks, holding up the mermaid cuff.

Snow's face goes slack and her eyes wide.

"Oh! I forgot that. Someone else has to take it off for you. [she looks at Emma abashedly] Sorry about that."

Emma raises an eyebrow of admonition but sighs.

"We kind of threw that plan together without really thinking it through. It's a miracle it worked out as well as it did with me stuck in the water below the ship. Thankfully Regina is good at reading between the lines." She finishes with a chuckle as she feels Killian running his fingers curiously over where her skin meets her tail.

Regina is getting impatient.

"Fine, well let's get the three of you back to the Jolly Roger quickly so we can finish this." She says, walking closer to Emma and Killian, followed by Snow and David.

Emma slips off Killian's lap with a sigh.

Without another word, Regina, Snow, David and Killian disappear in smoke and Emma dives backwards into the water to follow them.

Killian breathes a sigh of relief as his feet touch down on the deck of the Jolly Roger. He tilts his head back and closes his eyes to listen to the sound of the creaking wood and gentle flapping of the sails.

"My darling…" he murmurs as he opens his eyes to look around and pin Maggie with a glare.

"She's back in one piece, just like I said she would be." Maggie starts with her hands held up as he stalks toward her.

Killian gets close to Maggie and whispers to her.

"Take my Love or my ship from me again and you will see just how much I remember about my evil pirate ways."

Maggie smothers a smirk at him.

"Sorry?" she says as an almost apology. Killian just glares at her and then turns to head to the helm to assess the situation. The others follow him.

Maggie speaks first.

"The revenge is drifting towards us on the current so we haven't much time. If there's a chance of taking her, it will have to be soon."

"I can put a magic barrier around the ship but it will take the power out of any offensive we launch."

Regina says, looking over to notice Killian scrutinizing the other ship with a concerned expression.

"The revenge is turning." Killian says, not taking his eyes off the 'Queen Anne's Revenge'.

Maggie's head snaps around to look as Killian draws out his spyglass to get a closer look and a cold sweat breaks out on Killian's back.

"THEY'RE PREPARING TO FIRE!" he yells

Maggie and Killian spring into action as Regina starts throwing magic up with one hand to cover the ship and the other holding a fireball at the ready.

"We have only moments before we are in range of her cannons!" Killian shouts as he cranks the helm to port, away from the 'Revenge'.

Killian knew it was useless but he had to try. He had just gotten back to his beloved ship and now he was to lose her again.

The Queen Anne's Revenge opens fire on the Jolly Roger.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The faint 'pop' of cannon fire has Henry and Belle jumping up from the couch and abandoning the documentary on television to run to the window. Exchanging a look, they both turn and run for the door and down the steps, heading for the docks.

All the while, cannons sound before the corresponding explosions out at sea.

Belle and Henry reach the docks and watch in silent horror as the Jolly Roger is bombarded by cannons. Fireballs are flying towards Blackbeard's ship but they can see that their friends and family are outgunned and only moments from being in real danger. The few miles of ocean between them and the ship seem like millions as Henry turns to bury his tear-streaked face in Belle's shoulder.

Belle hugs Henry to her as she watches the mast of the Jolly Roger fall and the ship begin to break apart. She chokes on a sob and tears stream down her cheeks as she absently rubs a hand over her belly and almost jumps as another shock rips up her hand and arm. Belle looks down and holds her hand close to her belly again experimentally; this time she sees the small flash of lightening that snaps from her belly to her tingling hand. Shaking her head, she returns her focus to the sea battle before her.

A crowd has gathered to watch the final moments of the Jolly Roger and Belle fights back sobs as her hand absently goes to her stomach again. She staggers back from Henry the moment that her hand makes contact and Belle gives a short scream of alarm. Reflex has her grabbing her stomach with both hands and a shudder runs through her, drawing the attention of a few of the townspeople.

"Belle?" Henry says with a startled expression, stepping towards her.

A faint blue glow surrounds Belle and Henry sees her dark eyes fade to white and her expression turns to one of serene confidence. She straightens her stance and walks with purpose to the closest fishing boat.

Grumpy has been watching Belle since she clutched her stomach and now follows her and Henry to the boat and climbs aboard in time to see Belle raise a hand above the control console and start the engine. Henry and Grumpy exchange shocked looks and then hang on as Belle starts moving the boat out towards the sinking wreck of the Jolly Roger.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Everything seems to have slowed and a calm comes over Killian as he stands at the helm of his ship, helpless as he looks around at the chaos. Regina launches fireballs at the enemy ship as the Jolly Roger tears apart around them.

He wonders idly if Emma is safe and his heart swells and burns with all she may lose in the next few moments as he watches Maggie grab Regina's shoulder and snap her out of her focused rage. He doesn't hear what Maggie says over the roar of the cannons but Regina suddenly looks around the ship's deck in a panic and tries to grab for the people closest to her. Before she can take anyone to safety, the Jolly Roger is hit with several cannons at once and the deck explodes into splinters, sending everyone into the open arms of the sea.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Belle slows the fishing boat when pieces of wreckage begin hitting the hull. Henry tentatively stands and steps around Belle to look at her face.

"Belle?" he asks cautiously.

She turns to him and studies his face with her blank eyes for a moment before smiling sweetly at him. Then they both turn to survey the wreckage of the Jolly Roger.

Long boats from the 'Queen Anne's Revenge' are coming towards the wreck and David can be heard shouting for Snow. Maggie holds an unconscious Regina with one arm while gripping a floating piece of wreckage, her eyes scanning the water.

"MOM!" Henry yells when he spots Regina in the water.

The sun glints off something in the water making Henry squint. A few seconds later Emma bobs up beside the fishing boat and grabs the side.

"Mom!" Henry exclaims as he leans over the side to help grasp Ruby's arm that Emma has pushed up.

"Grab her. I need to find the others." Emma says as she pushes Ruby up so that Henry and Grumpy can haul her over the side and into the boat.

"Be right back, kid." Emma says as she flips backwards into the waves.

Belle raises her hand towards Maggie and Regina and they slowly start floating towards the boat. Henry and Grumpy seize them when they get close enough pull them up beside Ruby.

Belle turns towards David to pull him towards the boat when her head snaps towards the sound of a pistol.

"They're shooting at my Mom!" Henry says as he grips the side of the boat with anger, glaring at the enemy longboats. Belle narrows her haunting eyes and flicks her hand, sending all the longboats from the enemy ship flipping backwards and spilling the pirates into the water.

Emma barely spares them a glance as she searches frantically in the water.

"MOM! KILLIAN!" she screams above the gurgling and creaking of the sinking ship.

Emma dives down to search the sinking pieces of ship and she glimpses a pale hand caught in some rigging and swims hard towards it, throwing magic ahead of her to vanish the rigging holding her mother down.

Emma grabs Snow's hand and pushes towards the surface.

"SNOW!" she hears David yell from the fishing boat as Emma pulls her mother that way.

Several hands reach down to pull Snow onto the boat and David frantically starts CPR.

"I need to find Killian." Emma says to her father, fear shining brightly in her eyes.

"Go." He says and she dives deep into the water to find her lover.

Snow spews water up from her lungs and coughs as David sits back and breathes a sigh of relief. With Snow breathing and awake David looks around to assess what next needed his attention.

Maggie sits in one corner of the boat holding Ruby, Henry is kneeling by a barely conscious Regina and Grumpy crouches on the other side of Snow, helping her to sit up.

David's eyes fall to Belle who is facing away from him and looking over the water.

Grumpy leans over Snow to speak low to David.

"Yeah, there's something weird going on there." He says, motioning to Belle's back.

David gives him a confused look as he helps Snow to the edge of the boat to vomit sea water over the side.

"What's weird?" he asks but before Grumpy can answer, David sees Belle raise her hand out of the corner of his eye and turns to watch.

Pieces of wreckage start to move in the water, snapping together slowly, like pieces of a puzzle.

David looks back to Grumpy who just nods and then looks at Snow who is also watching Belle with wary fascination.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Killian's pain is fading. He always thought that he would die this way: as a captain, going down with his ship. He had fallen into the collapsed captain's quarters when the ship blew apart and now he was trapped inside the wreckage, sinking to the bottom of the sea with what is left of his beloved ship. He had returned to consciousness moments before the water had come up over his head and now he waited for the blackness to take him again.

Suddenly there is a flash of light beside him and his beautiful Swan is there; swimming up to him, throwing her arms around him and pressing her lips to his.

Emma breathes oxygen from her gills into Killian's lungs and his body gives a jerk as his brain clears slightly. She holds onto him by his arms and pulls him through the hole she has blasted in the side of the cabin to get to him. They are a fair way under the water and she stops once more to give him oxygen.

Emma presses herself that much tighter to Killian while she gives him a few more breaths before she pulls away to offer him an 'ok' signal with her fingers, which he returns, so she recommences swimming them to the surface.

When they brake the surface, a cheer goes up from the fishing boat and Emma smiles as she drags Killian though the water, towards the fishing boat.

Killian sits on the diving platform at the back of the fishing boat, holding Emma's hand as she swims beside him. He looks out at the flotsam in the water that used to be his ship and despair squeezes his chest. Killian grips Emma's hand tighter.

Belle steps onto the edge of the stern and holds one hand towards the 'Queen Anne's Revenge' and the other to the swirling water in front of her. Everyone stops to watch her as she turns her head to smile at Killian before turning back to the water.

Killian watches agape with the others as the enemy ship begins to dissolve before their eyes. The wreckage around them starts to snap together with increasing speed and they watch the hull of the Jolly Roger bubble up from beneath the water.

As one ship is reassembled, the other falls apart and they watch the enemy pirates abandon their ship for the water and the longboats.

Belle is visibly tiring but she holds her shaking hands as steady as she can as the Jolly Roger finishes reconstructing itself. Killian stands and blinks several times at the sight before him as he walks to Belle, not taking his eyes off his ship until he sees Belle go limp in his peripheral and dives to catch her before she falls.

He lies Belle down on the floor of the small boat and the others gather around her in concerned awe.

"Belle? Darling?" Killian says, gently shaking her shoulder she doesn't respond and he checks that she is breathing before he looks up at the others and asks,

"What the bloody hell is going on?"

Everyone looks just as baffled as him except Henry who speaks up.

"She was watching the Roger go down and then she screamed and then she glowed blue and her eyes turned white and then she… had magic… somehow." He finishes with a shrug.

"Let's get her to shore. Call the doctor again. Something is not right." Killian says, sending Grumpy to the controls of the boat to steer them home.

"I'll meet you there." Emma says from the water and then shoots off before Grumpy starts the motor.

Regina is sitting at the side of the boat holding a deep cut on her forehead and looks out over to the longboats floating a few metres away. Shocked pirates are gaping at the Jolly Roger and rowing towards it.

"Not today." Regina whispers with a small smile as she sends magic over to the boats, encasing the men in purple smoke and moving them to the Storybrooke sheriff's station. Then she leans back beside Henry as the fishing boat speeds towards the docks.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

As Grumpy pulls the boat close to the dock, Killian scoops Belle into his arms and jumps onto the dock. Doctor Whale is waiting for them after having received another frantic phone call from Henry's cell phone. Killian lies Belle down on the bench seat on the docks and Whale kneels to check her vitals as Killian steps back.

Belle begins to stir and Whale holds a hand on her shoulder to keep her from getting up.

Emma comes walking up the dock with her parents, holding the mermaid cuff in her hand. She stops beside Killian and places a hand on his arm.

"Is she alright?"

Killian looks at Emma with a concerned expression.

"I've no idea what's even happened." He says, running a hand through his hair in exasperation.

"That makes two of us." Belle says with a shaky voice.

"That makes _all_ of us!" Emma says with a smile as she kneels beside Belle with Killian standing behind her.

Belle shakes her head and looks at Emma in disbelief.

"It was the baby." She says and everyone glances down to Belle's obviously rounder stomach.

"She has magic. I could hear her in my head telling me that she would make it all better."

Emma looks up at Killian and then back to Belle.

"Your baby is talking to you and is using magic _through_ you?" she asks, trying to sort it out.

Belle sighs.

"I guess. I was upset when the ship was going down and I touched my stomach and… it was like she just took over my body but she was talking to me the whole time; asking me what needed to be done to keep me safe."

Belle sits up with the help of a few different hands and nearly keels over the other way.

"I think I could sleep for a week." She mumbles.

Snow interjects from behind Emma.

"Maybe you should go back to the hospital." She says with concern.

"No. I'm alright. I just need rest, I think."

Snow reluctantly nods at Belle.

"Well go to the apartment and rest, Belle. [looking to the others] The rest of us can meet at Granny's in a few hours."

Everyone nods in exhausted agreement and then start to scatter.

Whale and Henry help Belle to her feet and start walking her back to the Charming's apartment.

Emma turns to see Killian staring out to sea at the Jolly Roger.

"Hey. You okay?" Emma says as she snuggles into Killian's arm and looks out to the ship with him.

"I honestly don't know, Love." He says shaking his head with a small smile.

"I don't think my mind has fully embraced everything that has happened in the last few hours."

Emma pulls him closer.

"I know. It's almost like a strange dream."

They stand watching the ship and the waves for a while.

"I think Belle will probably be resting for a while before we can talk to her about what happened. Care for another swim?" Emma asks, looking up at Killian with a devious smirk as she fingers the mermaid cuff in her hand.

"I _did_ relish the thought of checking the ship over to make sure everything has been put back in the right order." He says, bringing Emma flush against his chest and dipping his head to brush soft kisses on her lips.

Emma pulls away to lead Killian by the arm to the edge of the dock and slips the bracelet on her wrist as she pulls Killian down into the water.

Killian grins at Emma when he pops back up above the water and tosses his hair from his eyes.

"Didn't think I would want to get back in the water for a while. You _are_ a bloody siren." He says as he tries to grab her. Emma laughs, swirling around her pirate before she slides her arms around his chest and pulls him into a deep kiss as they fall beneath the surface and she kicks her powerful tail to push them forward towards the Jolly Roger.

When they reach the ship Emma magics the rope ladder down from the deck and Killian takes the cuff off her wrist so she can climb up before him.

Jumping down over the side of the ship, Killian meets a grinning Emma.

"Well Captain. It looks like everything is back the way it was."

Killian tentatively walks around, shaking the water from his hair. He walks over to the mast and runs a hand along the smooth wood.

"Right down to the scratches in the wood." He says smiling at the small hole in the mast from his hook.

"It's really back. Just like it was." His voice is slightly choked but he walks over and puts his hands around Emma as he studies the ship with disbelief. After a few minutes he looks down at Emma and she smiles up at the new sparkle in his deep blue eyes.

He starts a lazy kiss, swaying them with the ship as he starts peeling the wet clothes from her body.

"I suppose we should check below deck that everything is alright." She murmurs as Killian's kisses travel down to her throat. And he starts walking her backwards to the Captain's quarters.

Once there, it doesn't take long for Killian to strip Emma naked and toss her on his bed.

"I'm sorry darling but having you both back in my life suddenly when I thought you both lost, has sparked a certain amount of urgency in me." He says as he crawls up Emma's body, his erection brushing against her mound as he leans down with a deep kiss.

Emma returns the kiss but pushes Killian's shoulder back to flip him over onto his back. Looking down as she straddles her pirate, Emma watches his eyes as she slowly sinks herself down onto him.

Killian groans with pleasure and digs his fingers into Emma's hips as she begins to ride him. Angling her hips forward, she rises and falls on him at a steady pace until they are both close to climax.

Killian is running his hands all over Emma and as they approach orgasm, he presses firmly between her legs with one hand and grips her breast with the other, sending them both tumbling into ecstasy.

Panting, Emma falls forward onto Killian's damp chest and snuggles into him as his arms come around her.

"We have time for a nap before meeting everyone at Granny's, right?" she asks with a yawn.

"We're going to _make_ time, Love." He says before adding,

"One request, darling. We take the ship back to the docks. I've had quite enough swimming for one day."

Emma laughs until they contentedly drift to sleep to the familiar sounds of the Jolly Roger.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N Sorry this took so long! Cheers!**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

 _The Charming's Apartment_

Regina knocks and enters the front door of the apartment, looking around as she takes off her dark trenchcoat.

"Where's Charming?" she asks, taking a head count.

Emma pushes away from the kitchen counter with a coffee in hand.

"He's at the Sheriff's station keeping an eye on Blackbeard and his cronies until we figure out what to do with them. Thanks for moving them there, by the way."

"Good. One problem at a time and _this_ one seems more urgent I think." Regina says as she starts marching over towards Belle's bed.

"Now that I've showered off the piratey stench of seawater. What is going on with you, Belle? You have magic now? When did _that_ happen?"

Regina asks, looking around incredulously. Belle blushes slightly and answers awkwardly from the bed as she sits up.

"I guess. I'm about as confused as you. I was _hoping_ that you would have some insight, actually."

Belle looks hopefully at Regina.

"Magic is a learned skill and as far as I know, you haven't been learning it. It took some serious magic to put that ship back together."

A bit crestfallen, Belle looks down and caresses her stomach.

"I don't know how or why; But I think it was the baby."

"Isn't that interesting." Says Gold, stepping out of the corner of the room that he had materialized into.

"Rumple!" Belle says warily, her eyes going wide as everyone else starts and steps back from the intrusion. Mr. Gold steps closer to the bed where Belle lies.

"I heard an interesting story this morning from one of the dwarves. Imagine my surprise to hear that my dear wife has been wielding great magicks lately."

Belle looks around to the others pleadingly.

"It wasn't me. I swear."

"I believe you. It takes years of training to accomplish the kind of magic that you seemed to know instantly. Something else is going on here and I aim to figure out what it is. The simplest explanation is that the power is indeed coming from our child." Gold says, switching his piercing gaze from his wife's face to her swollen stomach.

Regina follows his stare and says,

"I have never heard of that happening. Children born with innate magic gifts still don't usually have control over them until they reach adulthood."

"She told me that she would protect me." Belle says in a small voice.

After a collectively stunned silence, Gold speaks.

"You spoke to our child?… She?..." he says, noticeably choking on emotion.

Belle looks up at him with a shy smile.

"Yes. I heard her voice in my head before the magic started."

Emma starts pacing at the side of Belle's bed and thinking out loud.

"How can that be? I mean babies don't really innately know right from wrong… She must be reading Belle's emotions." Emma says, stopping to turn to Henry.

"You said that Belle got upset watching the Jolly Roger go down, right?" Killian winces at the mention of his ship and Emma places a comforting hand on his arm. Henry nods at his mother and she turns back to Belle.

"The baby is reacting to her mother's emotions." She concludes as Killian's brow furrows.

"But how would putting my ship back together be 'protecting' Belle?" he asks.

Belle eyes Rumple for a moment before turning to Killian and answering him.

"Because you are my family. I remember thinking of you saving us both by taking me to the hospital the other day and I was wishing that I could save you in return. [Belle looks down at her stomach] I absently touched my stomach, and 'WHAM'! The magic came over me and she was there, in my head."

There is another pause as everyone absorbs that.

"Can you speak to our child now?" Gold asks quietly.

"No. It only happened that once."

"It sounds like a defensive reaction when Belle feels upset or frightened." Regina offers.

Gold regards Belle in a very calculating way and he is starting to raise his hand towards her when Killian slams his hook down on Gold's wrist and steps between Gold and Belle.

"Are you _really_ going to frighten your pregnant wife, just to get a reaction from the child within her?" Killian snarls in Gold's face with disgust. Gold meets Killian's stare and rips his arm away.

Emma and Regina step up behind Killian, arms crossed making a formidable barrier between Gold and Belle.

The standoff ends when they all stiffen at the sound of a strange voice, speaking from the bed behind them.

"Hello, father."

Everyone turns cautiously to see Belle sitting with hands folded and an unsettling smile on her face. She is looking at Gold with unblinking blank eyes and she shimmers with a light blue glow.

Gold takes a step towards the bed, eyes narrowing.

"Who are you?"

"I think you know."

"It's not possible."

"Oh, but it is. You should really check that containers are truly empty before putting precious things inside them." Belle says, eyes glowing.

"Pandora's box. You switched places with my child when Belle was resting in the box." He accuses with venom.

"Wrong again. I _am_ your child, like I said. But now I am _more."_ She says, eyes burning.

Gold tries to step closer again but Belle's fingers twitch on the bedspread and Gold freezes.

"I can feel my Mother's apprehension of you, father. She fears for me. And so I believe our conversation is now over."

With a small flick of Belle's wrist, Gold disappears into red smoke.

Nobody in the room knew quite what to do as Belle's strange face smiles widely and addresses the room.

"See you soon, my friends."

And then Belle's eyes roll back as she falls back onto the bed, displaying her even rounder stomach.

Killian recovers first and raises an eyebrow with a shaky smirk.

"It's never bloody dull around here, is it?"

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The Blue Fairy was called in to monitor Belle when it was decided that her situation was outside the realm of doctor Whale's expertise.

Blue has been looking over Belle as she sleeps for a few minutes, when she stands back to speak with Emma and the others.

"From what I can tell, the two times that the child has come forward to control Belle, it has progressed her pregnancy by about two months. She was already rounding on her second trimester to begin with, so I fear that if the child takes control again…"

Emma finishes Blue's thought, concern clouding her eyes.

"… it will take Belle's pregnancy to term."

Blue nods solemnly.

"I'm more concerned about what we can expect _after_ the birth." Regina states bluntly, looking warily towards Belle. Blue responds as she sits back down next to Belle.

"Not knowing exactly _what_ the infant was exposed to inside Pandora's box, we have no way of knowing what to expect from her." Blue says regretfully.

Snow walks over from the kitchen in the tiny apartment and hands Neal to Emma when he holds out his arms for her. Emma smiles at her baby brother and Snow looks over to Blue to ask,

"Is it possible that some of that magic came from Rumpelstiltskin? Like, at conception could it have been passed to the baby?"

Blue shakes her head.

"No, magic doesn't work that way. Rumpelstiltskin's magic could make the child more predisposed towards magic but his magic is learned and therefore wouldn't transfer to the baby."

Killian, who is making silly faces to entertain the little prince in Emma's arms, looks around.

"So, we really need to find out what was lurking in that dreaded box when the Crocodile put Belle in it, then? Too bad our best researcher is having a great long nap." He says with a small chuckle.

"I guess it's back to good old police work, then. I'm guessing Gold is already sparkly elbows deep in his own research so let's try to get ahead of him." Emma says as she shifts her baby brother into Killian's arms. He promptly tosses the toddler into the air, making him squeal with delight and making most of the women in the room smirk at the adorableness.

"I'll go rifle through some of the older books in my vault for any mention of the box. I'll call if I find anything." Regina says as she raises a hand and disappears. Blue goes back to monitoring Belle and Snow pulls out her laptop and sits at the table. Emma joins Henry at the breakfast bar where he has hauled out his own laptop to start researching Pandora's box.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Belle starts rousing some time later and her eyes widen on her stomach as she tries to sit up and is hindered by her rather large abdomen.

"Oh My." She says as her face snaps to Blue who comes hurrying over at the sound of Belle waking.

"The others have gone to library to research what is happening with your child. Snow is upstairs trying to settle Neal to sleep." Blue says as she strokes Belle's arm gently.

Tears form in Belle's eyes as she looks across at her baby bulge.

"What is going to happen to my baby? [she looks up to meet the Blue fairy's eyes] … To me?"

Blue's expression purses as she looks down at Belle.

"We don't know yet. I'm sorry."

Belle sobs quietly for a moment before taking a deep breath and steeling herself. Turning to Blue once more, she says,

"Then I need you to do something for me, Blue."

Startled by the charge in Belle's demeanour, Blue just tilts her head in question.

"I need you to make sure that my baby is taken care of, if something should happen to me."

Blue tries to contain her shock for a moment before giving Belle a single nod of her head.

"Of course."

oOoOoOo

An hour later Emma, Killian and Henry come through the door of the apartment, rushing towards Belle, holding arms full of books.

"We found out what was left in Pandora's Box!" Henry says as he starts dumping books down on the bed at Belle's feet.

She laughs at the pile of books and looks up at their excited faces.

Emma ruffles Henry's hair as she speaks.

"For once it's not something horrible about to wreak havoc on the town."

Henry is bursting with the information and Killian gives him a nudge on the shoulder, indicating he can go ahead.

"It was hope!"

Belle smiles and caresses her stomach as Henry babbles on.

"The last thing Zeus left in Pandora's box, according to legend, was hope. So, we think _that's_ what power has been absorbed by the baby. So, that's good, right?" he says, beaming at Belle.

"It certainly makes sense." Belle says as she looks at each of her friends.

"Because that's what she told me her name is. Hope."

Everyone grins and Killian slides an arm around Emma's waist and kisses her temple as they all smile listening to Henry prattle on about their research as he rifles through books to show Belle.

But of course, the calm doesn't last and is broken by a resounding 'BOOM' that echoes through the town.

Emma and Killian spring apart, ready for battle and Henry jumps off the bed. As everyone recovers from the sudden sound, they all turn to look at the bed.

Belle's face has gone pale and her expression turns to horror and she looks up at the Blue Fairy beseechingly.

Blue grips Belle's hand and watches helplessly as Belle's eyes flicker with white and the blue glow starts to shimmer.

"No! Not yet!" she whimpers and Snow comes bounding down the stairs towards them, holding a screaming Neal in her arms and a look of alarm. Seeing Belle, Snow holds Neal out for Killian and Henry and usher the boys out to the living room.

Belle stiffens and arches up, her mouth opening wide and her blank eyes staring upwards. Emma and Snow share a knowing look and brace themselves for what they know is coming.

"He dares tamper with the vessel!" the other voice yells from Belle's mouth before she slumps back on the bed and they all watch Belle's stomach grow bigger.

Seconds pass and Emma, Snow and Blue hold their breath, waiting.

Belle screams and convulses in pain.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N Okay, we are venturing into domestic fluff here for a tic, but sexy adventures are in the near future for our fav heroes! So if it's the smut you're here for, stay tuned… ;)**

 **Chapter Twenty**

 _Charming's Apartment_

"Belle? Belle! Stay with us, Belle!" Emma says with forced calmness as she grips Belle's hand. A worried Snow kneels beside Belle on the other side of the bed, holding her other hand as Blue stands behind Doctor Whale's shoulder at the end of the bed, ready if she is needed.

Henry and Killian sit on the couch, staring blankly the action movie on the TV, not seeing it. David paces with Neal in his arms in the dining room of the tiny apartment near Regina who is sitting tensely on the steps. All of them are wincing and cringing at every moan and scream of pain from Belle.

Killian squirms in his seat and looks to David.

"Is this alright, mate? I've tortured men who didn't scream this much."

Regina mumbles something that sounds like ' _me_ too' and David raises an eyebrow at both Killian and Regina but shakes his head with a wary smirk.

"I have no idea, but you should have heard Snow when she had Emma. I never thought that she even _knew_ some of those swear words." He says with a strained chuckle.

Killian and Henry take a small comfort in David's words as Belle's lets loose another bone rattling scream, followed immediately by a loud 'CRACK'.

David's head snaps up at the sound and Killian tenses at David's reaction.

"BELLE!" Snow screams and David and Regina run for the curtain as Killian launches over the back of the couch to follow him, Henry on his heels.

Through the curtain, they see the Blue fairy step back holding a small bundle and Doctor Whale lunging forward to check on Belle. The small cry of an infant silences the apartment for a moment as they all wait.

"Your majesty?" Doctor Whale says suddenly and Regina steps through the curtain with an unfamiliar expression of uncertainty.

"Can you keep Belle stable until we can get her to the hospital?" He asks without looking up at her.

Regina instantly throws a stasis spell over Belle without question and Doctor Whale sags with relief.

"She is alive but unresponsive. That massive crack of magic when the baby came… I don't know what it did to her." He says, looking up at the women assembled with apprehension. The doctor moves past Regina and David to call for the ambulance as the others stand silent, eyes on Belle's pale, unmoving form.

Blue slowly looks around with tears in her eyes and they come to rest on Emma.

"Killian, could you come over here please?" she says as she shifts to stand in front of Emma.

Emma looks up at Blue and then her gaze drops to the tiny baby in her arms and her face crumbles as tears start to fall. Killian comes to stand beside Emma and she turns to press her face into his chest. His arms come around her and Blue struggles to speak as she looks down at Belle's baby girl.

"Belle was worried that something like this could happen and so she made sure that her baby would be taken care of. She has asked that you, Emma Swan, and you, Killian Jones, be the baby's godparents, if you are willing." Blue says, looking to Emma and Killian as their sadness turns to shock.

Snow, David and Regina gasp softly and Emma's eyes widen as she faces Blue, her eyes darting from the fairy, to the infant, to her parents.

"Wait. I get the feeling that 'godparents' means something different in the Enchanted Forest than it does here." She says and she feels Killian's grasp on her hip tighten. Emma looks over at him and sees tears forming in his eyes as he looks down at Belle.

"It means that Belle would like the two of us to raise her child when she cannot, Love."

Blue gives a confirming nod and a watery smile to the two of them.

Emma is still in shock but catches Killian's gaze again to silently ask the question. At his steely nod, Emma turns back to Blue and says,

"It would be our honour to care for this child until Belle is well enough to care for her herself."

Snow gives a small tearful whimper of approval at Emma's words and squeezes Belle's hand as a proud David stands behind his wife, holding Neal close.

Blue carefully shifts the tiny baby to Emma's arms and steps back as Killian steps closer to peer over Emma's shoulder at the infant in her arms.

"No one will harm this child while she is in our charge and she will be loved as if she is our own." He says in a low, voice, glancing at Belle.

Emma looks at Belle and smiles sadly at her.

"Ditto." She says with a sad smile as she gently rocks the baby.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Storybrooke Hospital_

Belle has been moved to her own room at the hospital and stabilized. Regina has removed the stasis spell and gone home with promises of being only a phone call away. Doctor Whale has given the baby its post-natal check-up and spoke to Emma and Killian for what seemed like hours about what they need to do for the baby. Killian's arms are full of pamphlets and bags of samples of baby products. A nurse had come to clean up the baby a few minutes ago and brought a warmed bottle of formula. The tiny girl now slumbers with a full tummy in Emma's arms.

The doctor walks away to get some more paperwork for them and Emma sighs and looks over at a frazzled Killian sitting in the hospital chair next to hers.

"What do you think?"

Killian looks up at her question with bleary eyes.

"Think we can do this?" she asks with more than a little fear in her voice.

Killian gives Emma a shaky smile.

"I think this may be the toughest adventure we've yet faced, Love. But, Aye. I think we can do this."

Both of them find resolve in his words and Emma stands carefully.

"Give me a minute." She says, walking towards Belle's room. Emma, mindful not to wake the sleeping babe in her arms, opens the door and walks over to the head of the bed. Killian has followed Emma as far as the door and leans against it, giving her the requested space.

"This is your Mummy, baby-girl. Her name is Belle. She can't take care of you right now, but we will do our best until she can, okay?" Emma asks the sleeping baby, stroking her cheek.

Looking down at her friend in the hospital bed, Emma's expression clouds.

"We will do the very best we can. But you wake up soon, Belle."

Emma gives Belle's hand a gentle squeeze as someone steps from the shadows and walks up to the other side of the bed.

"Gold." Emma says, eyes widening and holding the baby closer. Killian straightens and his lazy gaze narrows in on Gold.

"Don't worry, Miss Swan, Captain... I am not here for the child." His expression hardening as he continues and moves his regard to his wife's face.

"That _child_ did this to my Belle. [He takes a steadying breath] The child is better off in your care until Belle wakes."

Emma takes a minute to process that before she nods at Gold and starts backing out of the room.

She stops at the door and without turning around, says,

"Belle named her, Hope. Your daughter's name… is Hope." And then Emma walks back to Killian.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Sheriff's Station_

David sits at his desk, trying to hear his wife on the other end of the phone, over the gang of rowdy pirates filling the holding cells of the station.

"You need what?" David asks into the phone, holding a finger to one ear to hear her better.

Pirates are crammed into all the holding cells and the smell is almost as distracting as the noise as they yell profanities and threats towards the prince.

"Okay, I will pick up a box of baby wipes for Emma and Killian when I get some for us, after work. I'm sorry. I've got to go, hunny. Love you too." He says and hits the end button before dropping his head in frustration.

Regina walks in with Zelena and baby Robin in tow, stopping in front of David's desk. Zelena looks at the pirate rabble in disgust before rolling her eyes and waving a hand towards them to silence them.

"Ah, that's better, isn't it?" she says with a grin.

David looks like he wants to tell her to undo the silencing spell for a second but sighs in relief and looks to Regina instead.

"What can I do for you, ladies?"

Regina glances at her sister and then says, with hands on her hips,

"I think we may know what to do with Blackbeard and company."

David perks up instantly and gives them his full attention.

"Really? What?"

"Well, it seems that Zelena was the one who made the portal that took Captain Maggie and the rest of us to Tortuga. She also arranged a time and place for the returning portal that these ruffians followed us back through."

Regina looks at her sister's unrepentant expression and rolls her eyes just as Zelena did a moment ago.

"So she has agreed to send the horde back to their beloved pirate island."

David looks at Zelena with scepticism but she just smiles and nods at him.

"Not to look a gift horse in the mouth but… why are you suddenly so helpful?"

Zelena gives a long-suffering look but says,

"Look, I'm really trying to make a place for myself here, for the sake of my daughter. So, take the offer or not but I won't grovel for every little scrap of the approval from your _grand council of heroes_." She says with an annoyed huff.

David puts his hands up in surrender.

"No, no. We are all very grateful for your help. If it gets the smell of unwashed pirate out of the Sheriff's station, I'm all for it." He says, turning his most 'charming' grin on the witch.

Unimpressed, Zelena turns to her sister and carefully holds Robin out for her.

"Fine. [Looking at her baby] You have a little cuddle with Auntie Regina for a moment, darling." She coos at the smiling girl as Regina hugs her close.

Zelena sobers and turns her witchiest expression on the pirates, listening silently but intently. Zelena pulls the apprentice's wand from her cloak and forms a portal at the door of the holding cell before unlocking and swinging the cell door open with magic.

"Ta ta, darlings. You've had your fun but its home-time now. Enjoy your filthy heathen town." She says in a bright, cheery sarcastic voice as she gives a little wave to the pirates trudging through the portal. Blackbeard gives an obscene gesture as he follows his crew through the portal and Zelena grins as she gives the wand another flick and swish, dissolving the portal.

"Well, that's settled. Feels pretty good, actually. Being in such a benevolent mood, I may even swing by the hospital and take a crack at waking the Dark One's wife." She says with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes as she reclaims baby Robin from Regina.

David gives Zelena a genuine smile of surprise.

"You really _are_ trying to fit in here."

Zelena gives him a forced smile in return and disappears in a cloud of green smoke.

"Yeah, I still don't trust her. She won't tell me what Captain she-hook traded for that portal."

Regina says with suspicion as she crosses her arms and David considers her statement.

"Well, let's hope for the best." He says with an affirming expression.

"And prepare for the worst…" Regina says as she disappears in a puff of purple smoke.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N This chapter is basically 90% smut, story to follow next chapter. LOL**

 **Chapter Twenty-One**

 _Emma and Killian's House_

Emma and Killian haven't slept in three weeks, their house is a disaster with baby items strewn everywhere and neither of them have eaten anything that wasn't hastily microwaved or dropped off by townspeople.

Hope burbling in his arms, Killian paces in the living room in front of the couch that Emma is sprawled over with her eyes closed.

"Are you humming 'Drunken Sailor' to the baby?" Emma asks, smiling without opening her eyes.

"Little lass seems to like it." He says without hesitating in his steps.

Emma chuckles and idly wishes she had the energy to show her pirate just how adorable she found him; all dishevelled, exhausted and sporting more than one spit-up stain on his dark rumpled shirt.

How life has changed in the last few weeks. Emma was just getting used to being engaged to Killian before she was thrust into the role of 'new mother'. She didn't have the mental capacity to be freaked out by the overwhelming domesticity of their lives now but she frowned at the thought of their horribly dull sex life lately. Besides the odd quickie after the baby fell asleep and before they passed out in exhaustion, sex had become a lower priority than sleep.

Emma's mind wanders away to their last naughty adventure and she grins to herself.

 _After tying off the Jolly Roger at the docks, Killian and Emma walk arm-in-arm to the diner for a late dinner and end up staying to chat and have a few drinks with family and friends._

 _Emma is sitting at the bar having a drink with Ruby and Maggie while Killian sits with David in a booth at the back end of the restaurant, but she can feel him watching her. Emma excuses herself from the ladies for a moment and walks over to slide into the booth beside Killian, his arm automatically going around her shoulders._

" _They're still reeling from the day of sinking and magically reconstructed ships, too."_

 _Killian, still watching the women at the bar with interest, says to her._

" _Why don't you go sit with them for a spell, Love. I've got some things to discuss with your father."_

 _Emma looks up at him with an amused but confused look but stands anyway._

" _Okay." She says and laughs as she walks back to the counter._

 _Killian turns in the booth to better face the bar and David quirks his head at him in question. He follows Killian's gaze to the three ladies now ordering shots._

" _What's up, Hook?" he asks._

 _Killian waves a hand towards the women._

" _Just a tiny experiment, mate. I have a suspicion that Emma doesn't as much 'bring back happy endings', as she does, create them."_

 _David joins Killian in watching Emma, Ruby and Maggie, intrigued by his theory._

 _After a while, the men order more drinks and begin their own discussions, glancing over at the increasingly drunk trio from time to time._

 _A couple hours later, Emma stumbles over to her father and her lover and plops down in the booth next to Killian, half in his lap. She leans in and presses a deep kiss to his lips._

 _David looks away uncomfortably and starts to gather his jacket as he moves out of the booth._

" _I think that's my cue." David says and Emma breaks the kiss and blushes as she faces her father._

" _Sorry, Dad." He smiles at her and kisses her forehead as he walks by to leave._

 _Killian, amused by drunk Emma, just smiles at her._

" _Having fun, Love?"_

 _Emma throws her head back and laughs._

" _Yeah! It's good to see Ruby and Maggie when there isn't a crisis and having a few drinks is kind of awesome too, right now." She says, looking around the almost-empty diner._

 _With a devious glint in her eyes, Emma slides her hand over Killian's leg, under the table._

" _I think I've had enough girl time for now though."_

 _Killian slides further down in the booth to give her better access and pins her with a sexy stare._

" _Have you now…"_

 _Emma presses herself against him and runs her fingers over his cock through the fabric of his jeans, causing a predictable response. Killian raises a dark eyebrow at her and lazily trails his fingers up her side, sliding her shirt up to touch her skin._

" _What do you say we get out of here, pirate?" she taunts as she nibbles playfully on his ear._

 _Killian leans over and starts kissing her neck and drags Emma almost fully onto his lap._

" _Killian! We are not alone." She says in a scandalized whisper even as she starts panting with wanting him. His hands grip the back of her thighs tightly as Killian tosses his head in the direction of Ruby and Maggie, who seem to have totally forgotten their presence._

" _Darling, they don't even realize we are here. Look at them."_

 _Emma looks over at Ruby and Maggie as Killian resumes his assault on her collarbone. She is startled to see the two women leaning towards each other, looking very much engrossed in each other._

 _Emma is so distracted, she doesn't realize that Killian has her jeans undone and is sliding his hand inside to brush against her sensitive nub. She stifles a loud gasp and snaps her head down to look at Killian's grin. Emma half-heartedly tries to do her pants back up, looking nervously over at the women at the counter._

" _Relax Emma. Even if they_ did _care, they can't see what we're doing from there."_

 _Emma can't stop her groan as Killian gives her clit another small flick with his thumb just to watch her reaction. Emma bites her lip, undecided._

 _Suddenly, Ruby and Maggie start getting up from their seats. Emma instantly rolls, moving her leg back over his lap to sit beside Killian and tries to act normal._

 _Ruby is grinning and is holding Maggie's hand as Maggie tugs her towards the door with a matching grin. They seem to be oblivious of Emma and Killian's naughty activities as Ruby says,_

" _Hey Emma, you mind locking up when you leave?"_

 _Ruby tosses the keys onto their table and Emma looks over her shoulder at her._

" _Sure thing, Ruby. Night."_

 _Maggie and Ruby walk out, laughing with each other as Killian roughly pushes Emma out of the booth. When she is standing, Killian grabs the keys off the table and walks over to lock the diner door before turning back to Emma with a dark and devious grin._

 _Emma is standing in the middle of Granny's Diner holding her unzipped pants together and wearing a look of wary excitement as Killian strides toward her, dropping the keys to the floor. She backs away towards the bar stools, laughing._

" _Killian, this is a very bad idea." Emma says as he grabs her wrist with his hook before she can get away and pulls her to him._

" _How often do you get handed an opportunity like this, love?" he says with a grin, sliding his hand around from her hip to her ass, under her pants and panties._

 _He nibbles her neck, melting away her inhibitions. Emma vaguely starts thinking that her earlier choice of tequila shots was maybe not the wisest until the half-formed thought is evaporated by Killian's talented mouth, burning a path down her chest as she arches her back towards him._

 _Emma has just enough fore-thought to raise her hand and magically close all the diner blinds before completely giving herself over to sensation as Killian starts stripping fabric from her body. Her shirt ends up hanging from the cash register and her jeans are peeled down off her legs after she kicks off her boots with a drunken giggle._

 _Killian has Emma backed against the counter, between the bar stools, his urgency building with hers. He boosts Emma up to perch on a bar stool and steps between her knees to kiss her thoroughly before he sinks to his knees. Emma leans back and braces her elbows on the countertop as her head lolls back and her eyes close. Killian presses hot kisses to her navel as his fingers walk their way up Emma's legs, grazing her centre as they meet his mouth. Emma gasps and arches her chest forward as his tongue slowly circles around her tight bundle of nerves and his fingers lightly caress the outside of her folds. Emma whimpers loudly._

" _Killian… Oh, god…" she hisses in a breath as Killian sucks gently on her clit and pushes two fingers inside her. He hums quietly around the nub in his mouth and Emma bites down on her tongue to stop from screaming. Emma tastes blood but barely acknowledges it when Killian's fingers curl, stroking that soft spot inside her._

 _Emma is completely unprepared for the climax that hits her with tremendous force and then she does scream. Killian stands up suddenly and presses his mouth to hers in an attempt to muffle her scream. Still mindful to be gentle as he removes his fingers from her still-contracting core, Killian grins at Emma._

" _You nearly gave us away, Love."_

 _Endorphins and tequila form the words that come out of her mouth._

" _I will_ _ **give**_ _you anything you want if you can do that again…"_

 _Killian's eye turn predatory and Emma realizes her mistake as the stars twinkling in front of her eyes start to fade._

" _That sounds like a challenge, darling…" he says as he pulls his shirt up over his head and reaches for the fly of his jeans with a cocky smile._

 _Emma's eyes widen and she jumps up off the stool, placing a hand on Killian's chest to push him back as she gives a euphoric laugh._

" _Wait. My clit is painfully sensitive and needs a couple minutes." A new light enters her eyes as she keeps pushing Killian backwards, walking him across the restaurant with one hand until his back hits the jukebox. Quirking his head in question, Emma answers him with a wily smile and leans in to kiss him forcefully, making his head spin. His eyes still closed, Killian doesn't notice at first that Emma has dropped in front of him, until her lips close around his erection. His eyes fly open and his hands reflexively go to her hair in shock. Recovering quickly, Killian moves his hands to the jukebox behind him and just watches Emma give all her attention to pleasing him. And pleasing him she is, he thinks as his breathing starts coming in pants and his body starts twitching. Several minutes of her talented tongue roaming up and down Killian's straining cock and he is getting precariously close to coming._

" _Emma…" Killian growls out as a warning and after a few more seconds, Emma ceases her pleasurable onslaught and stands up. Killian crushes her lips to his and grabs Emma around the waist as he turns to slam her back against the jukebox seconds before he pushes his cock against her clit._

 _With a small whimper, she lifts her legs to lock them around Killian's hips and pull him deep inside her. They both gasp as he sheaths himself completely inside her._

" _Had enough recovery time, darling?"_

" _God, yes." She says, pulling his head down so she can kiss him deeply as he starts rolling his hips into her. With both of them worked up so tightly already, it takes only a few powerful thrusts before they both start tensing._

" _Emma… I can't hold back much longer. Come with me, Love." Killian says in a shaky voice as he reaches between them to push down on her clit and feels her tighten around him in response. The sensation of her squeezing him, sends Killian over the edge and he drops his forehead to Emma's shoulder as he spills himself deep within her with a loud moan. Emma clings to Killian as her body tingles all over as she struggles to keep herself from falling to the floor in the wake of another intense orgasm._

 _After several gasping breaths and managing to plant her feet back down on the linoleum of the diner, Emma looks up to find Killian grinning down at her._

" _Well that was one for the books, darling."_

" _I don't think I'll be able to eat here ever again without thinking about what we just did."_

 _They both laugh and kiss each other as they stumble around the diner trying to collect their scattered clothing, throwing it on without care._

 _They lock up the front door of the diner and turn towards the docks together, glad there is no one around to witness their wildly tousled state. They touch and kiss and tease each other all the way to the Jolly Roger and Emma sighs with relief when they reach the hatch going down into the Captain's quarters. Killian motions for her to go first and Emma throws herself down the ladder in anticipation of what more wicked things they could get up to in private._

 _Emma turns from the ladder and is so shocked by what she sees that she just stands there staring as Killian lowers himself down the ladder behind her. There is another stunned silence before he speaks._

" _It seems my ship has a few more secrets than even_ _ **I**_ _was aware of…" Killian says loudly in an overly amused tone, causing a gasp and a squeal to come from the Captain's bed as Ruby and Maggie scramble to cover themselves with a bedsheet._

 _Emma is still standing with her mouth agape, the image of her two friends naked and pleasuring each other, burned into her mind's eye._

 _Ruby's face as red as her name as her wide eyes look over at a stunned Emma and a grinning Killian._

" _Oh, gods! I am SO sorry! We thought you would be staying at your house!" she starts babbling as Maggie rolls her eyes at Killian's expression, her ears turning noticeably pink._

" _Maggie doesn't really have any place to stay and it's not like I can take her back to Granny's place with me…" Ruby goes on as she fumbles for a more appropriate covering._

 _Emma suddenly stiffens and turns, grabbing fistful of leather, to turn Killian away with her. Killian's eyes are shining and he is shaking with barely contained mirth..._

There is a high-pitched howl from Hope that wakes Emma from her reverie and she jumps up from the couch to see Killian shuffling back towards her from the kitchen.

"Sorry, Love. Thought I would let you have a few minutes rest before the next round but the little nibblet had other ideas, it seems."

Emma looks down at Hope and then back up to Killian's tired face before she steps in close and grips the back of his neck, kissing him as fiercely as she can without crushing the baby in his arms.

Grinning suddenly when Emma pulls away, Killian quirks his head at her.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for, Love?"

Emma smiles and shrugs.

"I just missed you." She says, beaming up at him.

"What do you say we take my mother up on her five-hundredth offer of babysitting and have a night to ourselves?" Before she even finishes speaking, Killian answers her.

"Done!" he says and presses a quick kiss to her lips as Hope opens her tiny mouth to cry for another bottle.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N Okay, well there is MORE storyline in this chapter but the smut demanded to be included and then kinda took over… enjoy!**

 **Chapter Twenty-Two**

 _Storybrooke Graveyard_

Zelena appears in a cloud of emerald smoke amidst the gravestones as a dark figure emerges from behind a crypt. She turns to the figure and smiles devilishly.

"Ah, there you are, my pet. Now, you piqued my interest with your talk of a deal while only I could hear you, but I must warn you, if I feel this deal is not worth my while, I'll have you stranded back on that depressing island of yours before you can blink. [her eyes twinkle] Or somewhere worse…" she finishes with a smile.

Blackbeard adopts a lazy grin and swaggers closer to the witch.

"Worry not, fair witch. I'll make your time _very_ worth your while." He says with a small bow and holding his hand out to take hers.

Zelena narrows her eyes at Blackbeard's hand but places hers in it anyway.

"Now then-" is all she gets out before Blackbeard brings his other hand down on her wrist, slapping a cuff around it. Zelena takes a staggering step backwards and claws at the cuff on her wrist, looking up at the pirate with new fear as he slowly pulls a dagger from behind his back.

"Get this blasted thing off me!" she hisses at him.

Laughing cruelly, Blackbeard steps closer to tap the dagger under Zelena's chin, making her grudgingly pay attention and stop talking.

"I think you're mistaken about who's in charge here, darlin." He drawls and she swallows down a scathing retort.

"Yes, I'm very familiar with this particular piece of jewelry, thank you. What do you want?" she spits out with a glare.

Blackbeard takes a menacing step closer until his face is an inch from hers.

"I want you to take me to the little magical bitch who took my ship apart. She's going to put it back together like she did Jones's ship." He says furiously through clenched teeth.

Zelena couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up, regardless of the dagger at her throat.

"That's terribly unfortunate darling. Because all that magic was coming from her unborn child and she has since given birth. So, _you_ are quite out of luck in that regard, pet." She says, popping the 't' at the end.

Blackbeard frowns and backs away a fraction in disbelief.

"What?" he says shaking his head in confusion.

Zelena gives another chuckle.

"Yes. Mother is quite powerless and unless you want to wait around for a few years until the child comes into her powers in her teenage years, I'm afraid your _ship_ is quite gone." She says, relishing the look of horror crossing the pirate's face.

Zelena's eyes fall on the dagger in Blackbeard's hand and while he is deep in thought she grabs the end of it with one hand and smashes her other wrist against it, severing her hand and the cuff from her body. As they both stagger away from each other Blackbeard's eyes widen on the hand now lying in the grass and then dart up to the witch.

Zelena holds the pirate's eyes as she leans down to grab her hand and yank off the cuff before she magically reattaches it to her wrist.

"You have no idea how much I hate having to do that _again_. It _bloody_ _ **hurts**_!" she screams at him as she stalks towards the retreating pirate with murder in her eyes. Blackbeard drops the dagger and holds out his hands in surrender, blubbering excuses and apologies to the angry witch.

Zelena throws another silencing spell over him to shut him up and stands back to consider her options of what to do with the back-stabbing pirate.

"You know, I'm starting to consider _actually_ joining up with the side of good only to avoid the traitorousness of evil allies. They may be a humourless blithering bunch but they are much less likely to betray me."

She pulls the sorcerer' wand from her cloak and taps it on her lips as she thinks.

"Now, what to do with you…" she says, starting to circle her captive prey, drawing out the fear in Blackbeard's eyes.

Suddenly she grins and she gives a little laugh.

"I've got it! Your lying tongue can stay silent but I think you also need a new fear of open water. [she laughs loudly] Yes, a mute pirate captain who is terrified of the water. I love it!" she cackles as she flicks the wand in his direction and then again at the air beside him, creating a portal.

"Off you go now, pet. Your pirate island awaits." She says before giving him a great shove through the portal and snapping it closed behind him.

Zelena puts the wand back in her cloak and brushes off her hands with a sigh.

"Well, that didn't go quite as planned but it turned out well enough." She says to no one as she raises her hand and disappears in a puff of green smoke.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Where _is_ it?" Emma says to herself as she shuffles around the house, searching. Killian leans against the doorframe with an exasperated expression, watching Emma titter around the house as Snow stands holding Hope in the living room.

"She needs that blankie to get to sleep." Emma says as she pulls up the couch cushions.

"Emma. She will be fine without it. _We_ will be fine. Go." Snow says as she gives a commiserating look to Killian. He straightens and pushes away from the door to walk over and gently wrap his arms around Emma, pulling her towards the front door. She resists slightly but lets him usher her away.

"Okay, but if she cries for it, call me and we can come back…" Emma says to her mother but Killian looks over her head and shakes his head pointedly, making Snow giggle.

"Go. Get out of here and have some fun. We will be fine here. I don't want to see you for a few hours." Snow says as she bounces Hope in her arms and Killian finally manages to get Emma out the door and close it behind her.

Towing Emma by the hand down the porch steps and to her car, Killian just smiles patiently and then opens the driver's side door and pushes her into the seat as she prattles on with questions and worries about them being away from Hope. He shuts the door when she is in the car and sprints around to climb in the other side.

Emma is still talking and Killian rolls his eyes and grabs her by the back of her neck and crushes her lips to his, effectively ending her tirade of paranoia. He keeps her trapped in his kiss for a few minutes until she is kissing him back with fervour and then he leans back and smiles at her.

"Better, Love?"

A slow smile spreads across Emma's swollen lips and she looks at him with lustful eyes.

"There's my Swan." Killian says with satisfaction as he reaches over to turn the key in the ignition. Emma keeps smiling as she turns to put her hands on the steering wheel and puts the car into 'drive'.

"So, what daring adventure are we off to tonight, Swan?" he asks cheerily, waggling his eyebrows at her.

Emma grins smugly and responds.

"I thought we could grab some food and head to the old drive-in theatre outside of town. I found the old projection movies stacked up in the library the other day and swiped a couple. What do you say?"

Killian considers for a moment, wondering what a 'theatre' is, and then grins and says,

"If it's with you, Swan; and it doesn't involve a hungry infant with an impressive set of lungs, I'm all for it."

Emma laughs and pulls away from the curb towards Granny's Diner.

Killian whispers naughty taunts in Emma's ear about a certain bar stool in the diner as they wait for their food and they thank a blushing Ruby before they leave. Emma and Killian climb back into the yellow bug and drive over to the abandoned drive-in theatre.

Pulling into the yard, Emma parks near the projection booth and Killian follows her up the stairs, smiling proudly as she picks the lock open in seconds and steps inside.

"May I point out, Love, that it's _you_ leading _me_ into criminal activities on a date instead of the other way around…" he says chuckling softly from behind her as she works on getting the film into the projector.

Emma pauses for a minute to grin and almost laughs as he leans in to whisper in her ear.

"Pirate…" he says with a nip at her ear and she giggles as she snaps the film into place and turns to him. Sliding into his embrace, Emma grins wickedly and kisses Killian lustfully, pushing her body against his.

"And we haven't even gotten to the pillaging and plundering portion of the night…" she purrs into his ear before stepping around him and pulling him after her by the hand. He chases her back to the car and when they stop laughing, Emma grabs the paper bag of food out of the car and they both half-sit against the hood of the car as she starts pulling food out.

"Damn!" Emma says suddenly and Killian looks up at her in question.

"I forgot the bottle of wine, I meant to bring." Emma says, frowning.

Killian just reaches into his leather jacket and silently holds out his flask to her. Emma gives a laugh before putting the flask to her lips and then passing it back.

"My hero." She says with a smile and moves to bump his shoulder with hers, making him smile back at her before glancing awkwardly at the ground. He still couldn't get used to being called that.

"Well Swan, isn't there supposed to be one of those moving pictures to watch?" he asks, changing the subject and gesturing to the screen.

Emma smirks at his adorable bashfulness and then raises her hand and flicks her wrist, using magic to turn on the projector. The decrepit screen in front of them turns white and flickers for a minute before the movie starts rolling. Killian's attention turns to the screen as gravelly sound starts coming from the speaker box beside the car.

Emma scoots in under Killian's arm and they happily munch on burgers and onion rings as they watch the beginning of 'Back to the Future'.

"Oh, _that's_ Marty McFly…" Killian mumbles, putting the pieces together from their trip back in time.

Emma ducks her head to hide her smile and then lifts her head again to watch Killian's face. She loved watching him experience modern things for the first time. The play of expression across his face ranged from comical to down right sexy when that dark eyebrow would go up and he would smirk at new (and usually naughty) possibilities.

Tossing their empty burger wrappers back in the paper bag, Killian pulled Emma in closer to him and kissed her. It was meant to be a quick kiss before going back to watching the movie but Killian stilled as he pulled away.

"We are alone." He says finally, making Emma tilt her head and look at him in question.

With a very intent expression on his handsome face, Killian reaches over to grip Emma by the hips and roughly hauls her over and up onto his lap until she is straddling him. Her breath comes out in a whoosh and her head spins as Killian looks down at her with a very calculating look and drags a finger down across her bottom lip and over her chin, drawing a burning trail down her chest as his finger turns into his hook. Catching the zipper of her jacket, the steel hook works the zipper down until her jacket falls free and he can mould his hands to the shape of her body.

Emma can feel Killian's arousal through his jeans and his constant, dark perusal is making her blood pound in her veins. Killian's hands slip across Emma's ribcage and over her hips, finding the edge of her dress and slipping under it. Emma smirks as she remembers that she wore this dress in hopes of this very situation. The dress is a dark blue that she picked out because it reminded her of the colour of his eyes and she secretly loved the way it twirled around her legs.

At Killian's sharp intake of breath, Emma grins darkly as his hands cup her bare ass. His rapacious gaze zeroes in on hers and she blushes only slightly at his discovery that she hadn't bothered with underwear for their date.

"You'll be the death of me yet, Love." He growls out as he squeezes her ass tight and grinds his erection into her, making her gasp with pleasure. Suddenly both of them are taken over with lust and like the horny teenagers they appeared to be from afar, they start frantically clawing at each other, desperate for release.

Emma scoots back slightly so she can rip open Killian's pants and curl her hand around his cock, giving it a few strokes as she pulls it out. Killian is ravaging Emma' mouth with his own, holding her face in his hands as she works his cock. He bites out a curse at her ministrations and dips a hand down to feel her readiness, making her groan and bite down on his bottom lip.

"I really wanted to take my time with you tonight since it's been so long, Love. But right now I just want to shove my cock inside you and fuck you as hard as you will allow." Killian says against Emma's mouth, digging his fingers into her hips with bruising force.

"God, yes!" she whimpers as she moves back up his body, moaning loudly as her clit bumps into his hardness and slides up. Rising up on her knees for a moment, Emma lines up his erection with her entrance and then plunges down onto it, making them both gasp and groan in ecstasy.

"Fuck, Emma… I have missed this. I've missed you."

Killian mutters as he leans back, bracing his elbows on the windshield of the bug, so he can watch Emma ride him. His eyes close for a few seconds when she starts moving but he forces them open so he can take in every minute of his beautiful Swan, lost in her own pleasure.

Her dress is hiding any possible nudity as it fans out over their legs but the increasing volume of her moans makes him glad that this place is abandoned as she starts tensing for climax. The sight of Emma writhing over him is making Killian almost as turned on as the sensation of her pussy around his cock. Almost.

It takes his breath away when she screams out her release and clenches around him before collapsing forward onto his chest. He kisses the top of her head and she smiles up at him through glazed eyes as she takes a minute to recover.

Killian has other ideas though and holds Emma's waist as he slides off the car hood and reverses their positions so that Emma is lying across the front of her beloved bug. Still buried inside her, Killian leans over her and starts moving before she can come down from her previous high.

"Jesus, Killian…" she cries with her eyes scrunched closed, lost in the feelings racing through her.

Killian picks up the pace of his thrusts as Emma's cries begin to escalate with his answering grunts and curses.

One hand flat on the car's hood and the other digging into Emma's thigh, Killian slams into her a handful more times before yelling out her name as his hips jerk forward and he spills his seed into her welcoming heat. He vaguely acknowledges the flashing lights in front of his eyes as he watches Emma fall over the edge for a second time.

Both hands braced on the car on either side of Emma, Killian pants and grins down at her.

Emma grins back up at him and opens her mouth to say something when they both freeze at the sound of a car door slamming a few yards away. Emma and Killian snap their heads around to the broken gate at the entrance of the drive-in and see the sheriff's cruiser parked there with the lights flashing. David is walking slowly towards them, looking anywhere but at them.

"Dammit. Emma!" he yells before getting too close to the lovers.

Shocked into action, Killian pulls out of Emma and stands, turning away in the same motion and Emma sits up, smoothing her hands down over her dress and trying to catch her breath enough to answer David. Killian faces the screen as he tries to stuff himself back into his jeans as quickly and discreetly as possible before facing her father.

David stops several feet away from the bug and closes his eyes as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Hey, Dad. What's going on?" Emma says in a voice much breathier than she would like. Killian, finally presentable, turns towards them and stands slightly behind Emma to hide the wet spots on his jeans.

"Hey Mate. What can we do for you?"

David pops open one eye to check their state and then looks at them for half a second before looking away again with a pained expression and speaking.

"When I got a complaint about kids messing around at the old drive-in, I was really hoping it wasn't you two." David says, still not able to look either of them in the eye.

Emma looks confused.

"Someone complained about the noise all the way out here?" she asks without thinking it through.

Killian puts a hand on her shoulder and presses his lips together to supress a laugh as David awkwardly explains.

"Archie was out walking Pongo and heard… screaming…"

Emma's face pales and Killian bites down on his tongue to stop the chuckle bubbling up from his chest as he steps closer to Emma and puts an arm around her waist.

"Apologies, mate. It's the first night in a long while that we've had to ourselves and we may have gotten a little carried away." He says earnestly.

David lets out a big breath and manages to look up at the red-faced couple and smirk.

"I guess I can understand that. Newborns are remarkably good at sucking the romance out of any situation." He says looking away with a chuckle before continuing.

"Well, maybe just keep your date at the same rating as the movie for the rest of the night?" he says as he laughs and turns back to the cruiser, shaking his head.

"Will do, mate." Killian says with a little laugh and Emma waves awkwardly and says in a small voice,

"Bye, Dad." Before she turns and buries her burning face in Killian's shoulder and groans in embarrassment as he holds her and chuckles softly.

"Well at least he wasn't a few minutes earlier." he says suddenly with a huge grin. Emma muffles 'Oh god' into the leather of his jacket before starting to laugh uncontrollably.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Storybrooke Hospital_

Zelena is standing beside Belle's hospital bed looking down at her with a confused and discontent expression as she bounces baby Robin in her arms. She looks over Belle for any sign of life before shifting Robin to one arm and lightly grazing her free hand over Belle's form, her magic searching for a problem she can fix.

"What are you doing?" Gold says in a low, threatening voice as he steps into the room and Zelena's head snaps up as she recoils her hand as if burnt.

"I was just… I wanted to see if I could help her." She finishes, glaring at Gold.

He narrows his eyes at the witch and steps closer.

"And why would you want to help my wife?" he asks suspiciously, both hands resting on top of his cane.

Zelena juts out her chin in defiance.

"Because she is the only one in this bloody town that I actually don't mind. I can actually have an intelligent conversation with her [her expression softens slightly as she glances at Belle] and she is the only one who doesn't treat me like a pariah."

Zelena bounces the baby in her arms again as she continues speaking, ignoring Gold's scrutiny.

"It doesn't matter anyway. There's nothing I can do to help her, I'm afraid. [looking up to meet Gold's gaze] Let me know if you find something I can do to help her." She finishes looking very uncomfortable and then disappears in a cloud of smoke, leaving a very pensive Gold alone to ponder her visit.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

 _Emma and Killian's house_

Henry is sitting on the floor of the living room making funny faces at Hope who is staring at him from her rocker with wide intent eyes. Emma and Killian lie sprawled on the couch, Killian with his eyes closed and Emma watching the kids with a sleepy smile. It is a cold morning and the weather man on the TV warns of possible snowstorms as Emma lifts her hand to magically turn up the thermostat.

It has been almost three months of nothing happening in Storybrooke and Emma is starting to get twitchy, waiting for the next crisis but also revelling in the normality of life in the calm before the next storm.

Killian is starting to snore softly from the other end of the couch and Hope is making little happy burbling noises at Henry. Emma is juuust starting to think about where they could put a Christmas tree in the house and when she would be able to sneak out to do some shopping when there is a sharp knock at the door and a few seconds later Regina comes shuffling in out of the cold.

"Hey, Mom." Henry says from his place on the floor and goes back to entertaining Hope after Regina blows him a kiss. Emma stands carefully so as to not disturb Killian's nap and walks over towards the kitchen, motioning for Regina to join her. Emma flips on the electric kettle and starts rifling through the cupboards looking for the tea that she knows Regina likes as she throws her coat over the back of a kitchen chair and sits down with a frown. Emma looks over her shoulder at the Queen's face and asks,

"So, what's up? You look upset."

Regina's frown deepens as she thinks of where to start.

"I had to get out of the house." She begins and Emma waits for her to continue as she makes the tea and hands it to Regina. After a long pause and accepting the tea Emma hands her, Regina sighs loudly.

"The baby has Robin's eyes." She says finally, looking down into her mug.

Emma looks up at her friend in surprise and sips her own tea as she formulates her response.

"Are you okay?" she asks, watching Regina closely when she suddenly stands to pace around the kitchen.

"I _want_ to be okay with it. With all of this. But I just can't seem to get past the fact that my _sister_ has a piece of Robin that I will never have." Regina's voice breaks on the last word and silent tears slide down her face and she turns away to hide her face.

Emma stands and places a hand on Regina's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Regina. Have you talked to Zelena about this?" she asks.

Regina sniffs softly and tries to wipe the tears from her face before turning to face Emma.

"No. I'm _trying_ to get along with her and don't really want to rock the boat. There's nothing to be done about it, I just… I suppose I just needed to tell someone." She says uncomfortably as she walks back to her seat. Emma also sits back down and the two women sip their tea in silence for a while. Regina gestures to towards the living room and asks,

"How are you doing with the little ball of magic?"

Emma smirks at Regina's nickname for Hope and looks over at the tiny baby lying on her tummy, on a padded mat on the floor while Henry lies in front of her, murmuring encouragement as she kicks her little legs.

"We are coping. Starting to get a routine down. I tell ya, though, I think battling dragons and ogres is easier, some days." Emma says with a chuckle and Regina smiles.

"Yes. I remember those first few months with Henry. It is quite the experience in self-preservation. [sobering again] Any news on Belle?"

Emma's smile falters.

"No. The doctors say that she still has some brain activity but the massive jolt of magic that went through her when Hope was born, left a lot of damage. They think that there is a chance she can recover but they can't say for sure."

Regina nods thoughtfully.

"Maybe her body and mind just need time to heal themselves. People who have never been exposed to magic can sometimes be affected by it more, and that was a _lot_ of magic to go through her."

It's Emma's turn to stare sadly into the warm mug in her hands.

"I just feel like I need to _do_ something. Like there must be a magical something-or-other that we can find that will wake Belle up and make her alright again." She says with irritation as Regina starts shaking her head.

"Magic doesn't work that way. It could maybe heal her body but her mind needs to heal itself. There's no shortcut for that one. The Dark One should know that, he's the one who told _me_ that." The Queen says thoughtfully.

"Any word on where he is or what he's up to?" Emma asks conversationally but Regina shakes her head again.

"No. I assume he's off looking to help Belle but that seems to be all anyone knows. [her eyes narrow] I think Zelena knows something about it but I don't know what." She says as Killian shuffles past them to the kitchen counter, running a hand through his hair and over his tired face. Regina looks him over, arches a manicured eyebrow and smiles wickedly.

"Fatherhood suits you, pirate. I never would have pegged you for the paternal type."

Killian scoops baby formula and boiled water into a bottle and screws on the lid before turns to Regina, leaning a hip on the counter as he shakes the bottle and squints at her with tired eyes. He opens his mouth to utter a snarky quip but stops and sighs instead.

"As much as I would love to stand here volleying barbs with you, your majesty, there is a little lass in there with an empty stomach who is about to start howling the house down around us." He says, pushing away from the counter and trudging back towards the living room, still shaking the bottle.

The women both laugh as Killian leaves the room and Emma watches him gather Hope up off the floor, settling onto the couch to cradle her tiny form in his arms as he offers her the bottle he prepared. A small warmth spreads across Emma's chest at the sight and she tries to push it away to refocus on her friend who is now standing and pushing her arms through the sleeves of her coat.

"If you think Zelena knows something, would you mind if I tried talking to her?" Emma asks, causing Regina to pause momentarily.

"If you think you can get the information out of her, be my guest but she doesn't trust any of us." Regina says with a shrug as she continues bundling up.

"Well, I'd better go. I told my sister that I was going Christmas shopping and I think it might look a little strange to go back without any shopping bags. Thanks for the tea and the… chat." She finishes awkwardly and then she walks by Henry, sitting in a chair watching TV, and gives him a kiss on the cheek before turning for the door.

"Anytime, Regina. If you ever need to get out of the house for a while, our door is always open." Emma says as she follows Regina to the front door.

Regina stops at the threshold and turns to Emma, thoughtfully.

"Thank you, Emma. I appreciate that." She says before giving Emma a final nod and striding out into the cold.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Regina's house_

"Knock, knock…" Emma says as she slowly opens the door and steps inside to get Hope out of the cold. Zelena comes down the stairs and stops at the bottom when she sees who is at the door.

"Oh. Regina isn't here." She says in a bored voice and waits for Emma to leave.

Emma smiles and walks in further, holding a very bundled up Hope against her chest.

"Actually, I came to see _you_." She says as she closes the door behind her and turns to a confused looking Zelena.

"Me? What on earth do you want to see me for?" she asks with a suspicious narrowing of her eyes.

Emma continues to smile at her and bounces Hope a bit when she starts to complain.

"Well, to be honest, I know that you are trying to fit in here in Storybrooke and thought you could use a friend who isn't your sister."

Zelena looks like she wants to toss the saviour back out into the cold but instead she straightens her stance and gestures for Emma to follow her into the sitting room.

"Well, if nothing else, a visit will break up the boredom around here. I'm sure you're quite familiar with the feelings of exhausted boredom by now." Zelena says with a smile and a nod to Hope.

Emma gives back a conspiratorial smile as she settles down on the couch across from Zelena.

"No kidding. I had no idea how much of this I missed out on with Henry but at least I have Killian. He has turned into quite the doting daddy, actually." She says with a warm chuckle and Zelena smirks.

"Hmm. So what is it you want from me, Emma?" she asks bluntly, throwing Emma off momentarily.

Emma pauses and decides to match the witch's bluntness as she leans forward and looks her dead in the eye to answer.

"Two things." She says, and Zelena sits back with a knowing huff as Emma continues.

"One, any information you may have that could help Belle or the whereabouts of Rumpelstiltskin. [Zelena raises an eyebrow at that request] and two, a friendship that I am pretty sure would benefit _both_ of us." Emma finishes, giving a startled Zelena a challenging look.

Zelena studies Emma for a minute, weighing the options in her head before she cautiously nods.

"Very well. I have to admit, your honesty is a bit refreshing after months of Regina's stony silence and pent up rage every time she looks at me."

Emma smirks sadly at that and lowers Hope to the floor with a rattle clutched in her little hand.

"I know she's really trying to get along with you but you have to admit the whole situation is a bit messed up." Emma says with an amused grimace.

Zelena smirks back at her and then starts laughing quietly.

"I think this whole bloody town is a bit messed up." She says, making Emma burst out laughing as well. The women start really laughing for a minute and then both relax a bit more in each other's company. Zelena glances at Emma quirks her head suddenly.

"I can't help with Belle and I have no idea where Rumple has spirited off to. So unless you've recently discovered the healing pools of Atlantis, I can't help you." She finishes with a dismissive chuckle.

But Emma pauses.

"Say that again?" she asks with an intensely thoughtful look. Zelena gives her an incredulous laugh.

"The healing pools of Atlantis?" She repeats.

Emma starts talking out her thoughts as her unfocused eyes stare at a spot on the floor.

"Every other fairytale, legend and myth has turned out to be true in some form or other. Why not the lost continent of Atlantis?" she offers optimistically.

Zelena leans forward and smiles pityingly at Emma.

"It very possibly _is_ real. [Emma's head snaps up] But unfortunately no one who claimed to have been there has been alive for several hundred years. The giants were the last ones to ever speak of Atlantis and they are all dead, so you would have next to no chance of figuring out how to get there before Belle dies of old age."

Zelena says matter-of-factly and Emma starts beaming at her.

"I know where to start. The last giant alive is a friend of mine and he went back to the Enchanted Forest."

Emma says, speaking in a hurried, excited voice as she stands and starts buckling Hope back into her jacket. Zelena stands as well and tries to reason with her.

"Emma, it's a fool's errand."

Emma pauses to consider for a moment and then looks Zelena in the eyes.

"Maybe. But Belle is my friend and if there's even a _chance_ that this could work, we need to try." She says vehemently, leaving Zelena slightly speechless.

Emma gets as far as the door and turns back to the witch.

"You have helped us a few times now; with portals and magic. I'm not sure if anyone has thanked you for it outright, so, thank you, Zelena."

Emma nods and gives a dumbfounded Zelena a determined smile and holds Hope close as she pulls out her cell phone and heads for home.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Emma and Killian's House_

Emma walks up the porch steps as the Blue Fairy appears by the door.

"Oh good. You're here. Come on in and just let me get Hope settled for a nap while the others arrive." Emma says to Blue as she opens the front door.

"Of course. I have to say, you have me curious after saying that you have an idea on how to help Belle." Blue says as she enters the house after Emma.

Killian is walking down the stairs, hair wet from a shower, and he greets the women.

"Ah, there's my ladies." He says, scooping Hope out of Emma's arms to give her a little kiss on her downy head and then leaning over to give Emma a lingering kiss on her lips, making her smile sweetly at him.

"Hope needs a bottle, a fresh diaper, a nap and I have an idea on how to help Belle." Emma says as she takes off her coat. Killian raises a questioning eyebrow even as Snow and David come through the front door.

"Don't start without me, darling." He says with another quick kiss before heading off to the kitchen in search of a bottle for Hope.

Emma turns to greet her parents while they wait for Regina to arrive.

A few minutes later, they are all assembled in the kitchen and most are holding a mug of some sort of hot beverage. Emma starts telling them all her idea to go to the Enchanted forest to find Antoine the giant.

Regina looks at Emma with a remarkably similar expression to the one Zelena gave her earlier.

"It's an awfully big longshot, Emma."

"I know but we've done riskier things on shakier leads. And there is no harm in going to hear what Antoine has to say about it."

Snow pipes up from her seat at the kitchen table.

"I like it. When do you want to leave and how can we get there?" she asks with a satisfied smile.

Emma glances at her father quickly as she answers gently.

"Actually, I was thinking that Killian and I would to talk to Antoine and then come back here to regroup with you before jumping into anymore adventures. Zelena has agreed to make the portal for us to the Enchanted Forest. [Her gaze moves to Blue] That is if Blue is willing to look after Hope for a few days."

The Blue fairy nods and smiles emphatically.

"Of course! I would be happy to watch over her."

Snow, looking slightly crestfallen gives her daughter a disappointed smile but nods as well.

"I guess we don't _all_ need to go hopping over realms just for information." She says and David squeezes her hand in support.

Emma gives Snow an apologetic look and Killian slides an arm around Emma's waist.

"Well, that's settled then." He says as everyone starts getting ready to leave.

Blue chats with Emma as she walks to the door.

"I will be here early tomorrow so you can show me what needs to be done for Hope before you go." She says with a wave goodbye and Regina follows her out with a warning to be careful.

Snow and David stop to hug Emma.

"I know it's just an information gathering trip but this family tends to attract danger so just be vigilant and come back as soon as you can." David says and Snow nods in agreement from behind him.

"We will, Mom, Dad." Emma says in an assuring tone and hugs them again before they leave.

After everyone is gone, Emma turns to Killian and finds him grinning with barely contained glee and she chuckles.

"What?" she asks, wrapping her arms around his waist and grinning back up at him.

"Love, it's just been too long since we've been on a quest that wasn't to find badly needed nappies at the store. I'm excited to be going with you to talk to the giant." He says as he leans down to feather kisses over her face.

Emma giggles.

"Me too. But this isn't supposed to be a vacation, babe." She says, pulling away to head upstairs to bed, pulling him by the hand behind her.

Killian follows her up the stairs, grinning with a devilish look.

"Maybe not but I'm sure we can find some way of entertaining ourselves, when we are all alone in the forest…"


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

 _The Enchanted Forest_

Emma and Killian shake off the last vestiges of chills from switching realms and start looking around to get their bearings. Emma fidgets and adjusts the corset that she has donned in an effort to blend in and looks up at a grinning Killian watching her.

"As much as I love the leather jacket and jeans you usually wear, darling, I feel obliged to tell you that corsets and skirts really bring out your… [he pointedly glances at her cleavage] … eyes." He finishes with small bow and a mischievous smirk.

Emma rolls her eyes and smiles back at him as he turns away with a chuckle and pulls on his old leather pirate jacket. She takes the opportunity to admire Killian's ass, covered, once again, in his tight leather pants and Emma's hands twitch with the desire to grab him and squeeze. She had to admit that she actually missed his pirate attire sometimes.

Killian looks back at Emma to ask her opinion on which direction to head into and catches her lusty gawking.

"Keep looking at me like that, Love and we won't make it more than ten feet before I have you out of that corset and up against a tree." He says in dark warning.

Emma snaps out of the reverie his words sent her into, smiles slyly as she grabs a handful of skirts and starts walking away before she is too tempted to take him up on his offer.

oOoOoOoOoOo

A couple of leisurely hours of walking down a dirt road, hand-in-hand with her handsome pirate and Emma is almost disappointed to spot the small town in the distance. Killian seems ambivalent for a moment before grinning at the sight of a tavern.

"I suppose a bit of information gathering is in order if we mean to find the giant." He says giving her his best innocent puppy-dog look. Emma smiles knowingly back at him.

"And people tend to get a bit more pliable with information after a few drinks, too." she adds and Killian grabs her around the waist to swing her around in a big hug, making Emma laugh loudly.

They enter the tavern just as townspeople start shuffling in looking for a quick lunch. Killian holds the door open for Emma to enter and all of the male eyes in the room turn to watch Emma stride to the bar and perch on a bar stool, but they turn away again when Killian stops to stand behind her and puts a possessive hand on the small of her back glaring at each of the men, in turn.

Emma grimaces slightly but turns a resigned smile on Killian.

"Well, I guess I'm out of the information gathering game, then."

Killian smiles back unapologetically.

"I'd rather that than having to skewer one of these poor sods when they get too handsy with you." He growls in her ear, stepping closer to brush his chest against her back.

Just then, a small boy comes running up to wrap his little arms tightly around Emma's leg.

"EMMA!" Roland shouts, looking up at her with a huge grin, and Emma jumps off the bar stool to pick up the boy and hug him fiercely.

"Oh my god! Roland!" she shouts, looking over his shoulder to Little John who comes walking up behind the boy to clap Killian on the back in greeting.

"Pirate." He says with a nod at Killian and then nods to Emma.

"Princess." He says with a grin as Emma shifts Roland to her hip to give Little John one-armed hug.

"Wow. It's so good to see you again. How are things here?" she asks as she cuddles Roland but she looks over to see Little John's face fall slightly.

"Let's get a pint and I'll tell you all about the happenings here." He says, motioning to the barkeep for some drinks and moving over to a table in a dark corner. Killian and Emma, still holding Roland, follow Little John to the table and settle in with their drinks.

"Rumpelstiltskin. [Emma and Killian groan quietly] He has been traveling the land, collecting items. No one knows what he is up to but he is even more ruthless than he used to be. He doesn't bother making deals anymore and just takes what he wants." Little John says between swigs of ale.

Killian sits back in his chair and takes a generous gulp from his mug before slamming it down on the table and muttering 'bloody crocodile' under his breath. Emma takes a deep breath and begins explaining.

"Belle gave birth to a baby girl a few months ago, but the huge wave of magic that came from it… damaged Belle. She is in a coma at the hospital and Killian and I have been caring for her child." She says and watches Little John let out a big breath as he absorbs her words.

"I'm assuming he is scouring the Enchanted Forest for a cure for Belle but it sounds like he has gone off the rails." Emma continues and the men both nod in agreement with her assessment.

Killian picks up the narrative and leans in over his drink towards Little John.

"Speaking of which, Belle is the very reason we are here, mate. We are searching for the giant, Antoine. Do you know where we can find him?" he asks, taking another big swig of ale as Little John nods.

"Yeah. He has settled in at our camp. I can take you to him when you've finished your drinks. I've just got to speak with the barkeep and we can be on our way." He says, standing and chugging down the rest of his drink before walking over to the bar.

"How is Regina? And my sister?" Roland asks suddenly and Emma hugs him tight so she can fish her cell phone from her pocket and turn them so no other tavern patrons can see.

"I have pictures on my phone of them for you." She says, smiling down at the boy's excitement.

Little John re-joins them after a few minutes of talking with the barkeep and leads the way into the forest towards their camp. Roland holds Emma's hand as she tells him all about Regina and baby Robin.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Emma and Killian receive a hero's welcome at Robin's old camp as people crowd around them asking about life in Storybrooke. Everyone insist that they stay for the night and a bonfire is lit as a new barrel of ale is tapped and the drink starts flowing.

As the night wears on, Emma decides to have her talk with Antione before the drink goes to her head too much.

"Antione!" she calls as she makes her way around the fire to sit down on a log, next to the giant.

"I need to pick your brain about anything you know about Atlantis." She says, shocking the giant into silence for a few moments before he starts pondering her request.

"I was never really a historian among the giants but I remember learning that it was a place hidden away by the people who lived there. They were a super intelligent people who wanted to separate themselves from the war-mongering population of humans." Antione says, staring into the flames as he speaks.

"So, it _is_ a real place, though?" Emma asks with wide eyes.

"Oh yeah. Nobody has heard from any of the Atlanteans for several hundred years but it was told to us giants that those who could follow the trail of clues to get to Atlantis would be welcome to stay. A lot of people have tried to find it but most either give up or disappear."

Antione scrunches up his face for a second before continuing.

"I think I even saw an amulet or something with Atlantean symbols once up in my cave." He says and Emma quirks an intrigued eyebrow at him.

"Really?" she asks and Antione starts back-tracking his words.

"Wait. No. I don't want to go back up there." He says holding his hands up defensively.

"It would only be for the amulet and then we could come straight back here." Emma says, trying to soothe the giant but he shakes his head and sighs.

"I'll make you a bracelet that will allow you to climb the beanstalk but I… [he hangs his head] I can't go back there. I live as a human now. All there is for me up there is reminders of death." He chokes out and Emma lays a hand on Antione's shoulder in comfort.

"Okay. I really can't ask more of you." She says, handing him a fresh drink that is passed their way. Antione smirks sadly and accepts the drink, downing it quickly and then standing.

"I think I'll go back to my tent for the night. I'll have the bracelets ready for you and the pirate by morning." He mumbles as he walks away.

Emma says good night to his back, frowning, as Killian comes over and plops down beside her on the log.

"How did it go, Love? Get the information you need?"

Emma studies Killian and surmises that he has had a few more drinks since she left him to talk with Antione. Killian grins and holds his mug up in salute to someone across the fire and then returns his attention to Emma.

"Yeah, I think so. How do you feel about climbing a beanstalk tomorrow?" she asks, taking a swig from her own mug of ale.

Killian slides in closer to her and whispers in her ear as he slips a hand around her waist to pull her closer.

"That sounds to me like a very good excuse to go to our tent for a good night's rest." He says with waggling eyebrows, making her laugh loudly. Emma presses herself against his chest and grins suggestively at him.

"Maybe after a couple more drinks we can see about… pitching a tent." she says with a breathy laugh in his ear before standing to get another drink and joining the festivities in their honour.

Several hours and several drinks later, Killian and Emma are stumbling their way over to the borrowed tent, unsure of who is holding up whom. Getting to the large tent, Killian throws back the flap and walks in to find a large comfortable looking camp bed. Pulling Emma in with him, he grins drunkenly at her giggle and lowers the flap of the tent. Emma trips over a rock and falls into Killian's arms with a small squeal.

"Maybe the bed is the safest place for us at the moment, darling." He says as he walks/half drags Emma to the bed but she stops just short of it.

"Wait. Help me get this ridiculous corset off first." She says as she tries to stay upright and untangle the laces of her corset. Killian eyes the corset thoughtfully before asking,

"Are you planning on wearing that again, Love?"

Emma stops her futile attempt at undoing the laces and looks at him questioningly.

"Not really. I can't exactly climb a beanstalk in a dress, can I? [she giggles at her own joke] One of the women here said she would leave some travelling clothes outside the tent for me in the morning." She says before scrunching her face to concentrate on freeing herself from the corset.

Killian steps closer suddenly and Emma hears a loud 'riiip' on her right side as the corset falls apart. She looks up into Killian's eyes with surprise as the uncomfortable clothing falls to the ground.

"Wow. That was hot." She says while sliding her arms around Killian's neck and holding his eyes while he continues to shred every stitch of fabric from her body with his hook and she fumbles with the seemingly hundreds of buttons holding Killian inside his leather clothes.

Finally both naked, Killian and Emma fall onto the camp bed and chase each other under the covers as they kiss and caress each other.

After several minutes of fondling and hot kisses full of intention, Emma and Killian slow their efforts as they get comfortable.

"I believe anything more may be beyond our current state, darling." Killian slurs to Emma and then looks at her face and smiles. He rolls to the side and curls Emma's sleeping form inside the crook of his arm and drifts off to sleep himself within seconds.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

 _Robin Hood's Camp_

"Why is the forest so _loud_?!" Emma mumbles as she rolls over in the camp bed and reaches up to hold her pounding head. She pops one eye open to see Killian standing beside the camp bed looking down at her with a smirk. He is already fully dressed and holding a bundle of clothes in his hands.

"These were left outside the tent, Love. And it seems the giant left us some useful jewelry." He says holding up the braided leather cuffs to examine them.

Emma squints at him for a moment before flopping back down, face first onto the bed with a groan. She hears Killian chuckle and start moving around before the bed shifts as he sits on the edge of it, beside her.

"Come on now, darling." He says and Emma struggles to sit up as he holds his flask out under her nose. Emma flinches at the smell and pushes the flask back to him.

"No thanks. I'll feel better in a few minutes." She says as he shrugs, takes a small swig and puts the flask back inside his jacket.

"That was quite the party last night." she says, looking down at her lap and letting the memories of the night before trickle in. She looks up at Killian in amused confusion.

"Did you literally rip my clothes off? I don't think I remember anything after that."

Killian chuckles and holds up his hands in mock surrender.

"I assure you, Swan, after you passed out from the drink, I was a perfect gentleman and fell asleep myself."

Emma gives a short laugh and then leans towards him, letting the blanket fall away and drawing his full attention to her bare chest.

"I never doubted your honour for a second, Killian. But now that I am feeling a little better…" she trails off as she presses her lips to his neck and then to his lips; pulling him into a tantalizing kiss which he returns and deepens before breaking away.

"Sadly, most of the others in the camp are already up and about, Love. We are expected at breakfast shortly." He says regretfully and Emma sighs loudly and pouts.

"Fine. Give me those clothes then. Don't think that this is over, though, Captain." She says with a sultry murmur as she stands before him, completely naked, to take the clothes. Killian shakes off the shot of heat that runs up his spine at her words and leans back on the bed to watch Emma dress.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Love"

oOoOoOoOoOo

During breakfast Emma thanks the woman that left her the clothes and presses Antione for any more details he might remember about Atlantis or where they might find the amulet when they get up the beanstalk. After having a couple of sacks of provisions forced on them and hugging everyone goodbye, Emma kneels down to give Roland one last hug and promises to see him soon. Her heart breaks a little as they walk away and she looks back to see Little John scoop up a quietly crying Roland.

Killian takes Emma's hand again and they walk in silence for a while.

"You look better attired for adventure today, Love." Killian says in an attempt to cheer her up.

Emma looks down at the soft doe-skin pants and vest, loose fitting shirt and knee-high leather boots and nods at him.

"At least I don't have to worry about snagging my skirt on the beanstalk and falling to my death or just not being able to _move_ in that corset. [she glances sideways at Killian] I think the whole outfit was a lost cause anyway." She says smirking at him.

Killian grins fiendishly at her.

"Necessary casualties. Otherwise I'm fairly certain it would have taken hours to get you out of that thing and I don't know about you, Love, but I wasn't willing to wait that long to have you naked." He says, pulling on her hand to spin her around and up against his chest for a heated kiss.

They break apart after a few minutes and smile lazily at each other as they continue on their way towards the beanstalk in the distance.

oOoOoOoOoOo

At the base of the beanstalk Emma and Killian decide to rest and have a quick lunch before they start the climb.

"Do you realize this is the setting of our very first adventure together?" Killian says as they both lean against a large oak tree, munching on the apples from their rucksack. Emma tilts her head to consider his words and her face softens with a small smile of nostalgia.

"And up that beanstalk is where I was first attracted to you." She says, watching Killian's brows shoot up in surprise.

"Really?" he says, chucking his apple aside and leaning over to crawl closer to her. Emma giggles and falls over onto the grass as he crawls into her lap and pushes her over.

"And what, pray tell, was is about me that finally got under that thick skin of yours, darling?" he asks her before lowering his head to run his tongue along her collarbone. Emma closes her eyes and gasps when he nips at her neck lightly.

"Mmm When you bandaged my hand, at the top of the beanstalk. Your eyes held mine when you used your mouth to tie off the bandage and I remember thinking that I wanted your mouth on other parts of me."

Killian's head pops up suddenly and he grins down at her.

"Coincidentally, I was thinking the exact same thing, Love. I wanted my mouth on other parts of you, as well." He says with an arrogant and lusty whisper. Emma arches up onto her elbows to kiss him passionately, battling his tongue with her own.

"Let's make up for lost time, then." Emma says as Killian's hands start pulling her shirt free of her pants to put his hands on her skin. She feels him grin against her lips.

"Once again, our thoughts are aligned, Love." Killian growls out as he pushes himself up onto his knees to shed his leather coat and spread it out on the ground and then lift Emma up and onto it. Emma uses their temporary parting to wriggle out of her pants and unbutton her vest before Killian is back to her, aiding her efforts. Left only in the billowy white shirt and her panties, Emma gives Killian a hard kiss before blindly attacking his belt buckle and pants. Her hands falter when she feels Killian's fingers sliding down her stomach and tease the edge of her red lace panties, making her body arch up towards his. Her eyes close and Emma lets a loud moan escape her lips when Killian's fingers slip beneath the lace to caress the spot she needs it the most.

Killian groans quietly when his fingers slide easily over her wetness and he gives a loving kiss to one of her breasts, laving her nipple through the shirt. Emma is panting with need for him and she reaches up to touch his jaw, tilting his face up so she can kiss him, biting down on his bottom lip as he slips a finger inside her opening.

"Killian…" Emma says on a gasp.

"Yes, Love?" he asks, equally as breathless. In answer, Emma reaches inside his undone leather pants and wraps her hand around him, stroking him from base to tip, causing his eyes to close and throw his head back with a loud gasp. Smiling to herself, Emma repeats the action, relishing the control for a moment before Killian palms her clit and curls his fingers inside her.

"OH! Fuck!" she yells suddenly and opens her eyes to find Killian staring at her with a challenge in his lust-filled eyes. Emma grins in response and tightens her hand around him, reaching down to run a fingernail over the seam of his testicles and then sliding her hand up to swirl the drops of precum around his head with her thumb.

Killian sees spots bursting in front of his eyes and nearly collapses on top of Emma from the sensations she is producing with just her hand.

"Bloody Hell, Swan!" he struggles to get out as he is forced to remove his fingers from her to steady himself. Emma uses her other hand to pull his hips closer to her as she rubs him. She strokes him upwards again and sneakily bumps the head of his cock into her clit and moans.

Killian's glazed eyes refocus on Emma's face as he realizes what she is doing. He experimentally shifts his hips to slide his cock over her clit again and Emma cries out.

Killian slips his fingers back inside Emma, determined to give as good as he gets and after a few minutes they are both on the edge of orgasm, panting and clutching at each other with an insatiable hunger for release.

"Gods, Emma…" he growls out, trying to hold back for her.

"Killian. Come for me. Come _with_ me." she says as she starts tensing around his fingers and moaning his name. He watches her eyes close and her body arch up before closing his own eyes to lose himself in the sensation. Leaning hard on the hand holding him up, Killian grunts noisily as he thrusts into Emma's hand and splatters his sperm onto her stomach as she convulses on his slick fingers. He has just enough mental capacity to hold his thumb down on Emma's clit to prolong her orgasm before he collapses beside her.

Both panting harshly, Emma and Killian stare at each other with wide eyes.

"Well… that took an unexpected turn." Killian says, a grin slowly spreading across his face as he loops his hand around Emma's neck and pulls her forward to press a quick kiss to her forehead.

"Yeah. I'm not sure who won that round but,… damn that was intense." Emma says between pants, making Killian chuckle.

"Indeed it was, Love." He says, reaching over to tug a bandana out from the pocket of his jacket that they are lying on. Pushing himself up onto one elbow to look down at her, he uses the bandana to wipe his mess from her stomach with gentle touches.

Emma gives Killian a sweet smile at the gentlemanly gesture and has a satisfying stretch as he lays down beside her once more. She curls up to him with her head on his chest and they doze in the sunshine for an hour or so before Emma rolls away from Killian with a sigh.

"We should really get going if we want to be back down here before nightfall." She says as she sits up to look around for her discarded clothing. Killian rubs a hand over his face and sits up beside her and after a minute, starts righting the clothing that never actually made it off his body.

After several minutes of gathering up things and re-dressing, Emma and Killian stand looking up at the beanstalk. Steeling themselves, they slip on the bracelets that Antione made them and start to climb.

Emma's arms are aching when they finally reach the top and Killian helps her over the edge of the stone circling the beanstalk. Catching their breath for a moment, Emma looks around at the crumbling giant's domain.

"Antione said he thought the amulet might be in the eastern treasure room." She says when her breathing steadies.

With a greedy grin, Killian raises a roguish eyebrow at her.

" _That_ is an exceedingly sexy name for any room." He says excitedly.

Emma rolls her eyes and starts walking.

"What?" he asks, feigning a wounded expression.

"Still a pirate, Love." He whispers in her ear as he catches up to her and Emma laughs. Walking into the treasure room, the two of them stop to stare around in wonder at the mountains of gold before them.

"Today could very well be the best day of my life…" Killian says in a dazed euphoria as he holds out his arms and spins around in a slow circle, taking it all in. Emma watches the pirate and rolls her eyes, amused by his antics.

"You can't take it, you know." She says, eyeing him with her arms crossed over her chest and Killian's head snaps in her direction.

"What?! Emma, the giant said himself he never wanted to come back here, you're saying you want me to let all this just sit here and rot? Or to be plundered by a less well-meaning soul?" he says in wounded disbelief.

Emma tilts her head to the side, unconvinced, before walking over to him and placing a sympathetic hand on his cheek.

"And what if Antione changes his mind some day and comes back to find that his _friends_ have robbed him?" she asks seriously.

Putting on a pout that would do justice to any toddler, Killian looks longingly at the piles of gold.

"There is more to this 'hero' business than I originally thought." He mumbles and Emma looks around at the treasure as she drapes her arms lazily around his hips.

"But maybe Antione would forgive us for a few missing pieces…" she says, watching Killian with a smirk as his face darkens and he roughly pulls her tight against him for a savage kiss.

Emma breaks off the kiss with a hand on his chest.

"BUT, only what you can fit in your pockets AND we give half of it to the merry men for Roland. Deal?" she says in a commanding voice and Killian beams at her.

"Of course, darling. Good thing I wore my coat with plenty of hidden pockets." He says as he strides away to survey what he can fit in his coat.

"He's gonna fall right off the beanstalk with all that gold on him." Emma murmurs as she shakes her head. Killian talks to her as he rifles through the nearest pile of gold, pausing to look at and then toss aside a golden crown.

"So, did the giant say what this amulet looked like or are we just to take them all." He says, turning to her with a saucy grin as he stuffs a sapphire the size of a strawberry in his coat. Emma scans the piles of treasure as she walks around and answers him.

"Antione said it was about half the size of my hand, white gold, had a bunch of swirling gold threads around a large aqua-coloured stone. He said it was on a long golden chain and the last time he saw it, it was hanging off statue of a silver elephant. That shouldn't be too hard to find." She says, rounding a pile of gold coins that was at least three times taller than her.

Killian comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her to nuzzle her neck and Emma notices several extra rings on his fingers and a distinct rattle to his coat that weren't there before.

"A silver elephant, you say?" he says as he takes her hand and pulls her along after him as he giddily swaggers from pile to pile of treasure.

"Darling, would you say you're more of a pearls or diamonds kind of woman?" he asks, holding out a necklace in each hand to scrutinize them and then tossing them over his shoulder as his eyes focus on something else.

"Ooo there's one with _both_."

Emma laughs again as she continues her search.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm more of a beach glass kinda girl." She says quietly, blushing as she looks down at her engagement ring. Killian stands frozen, staring at Emma for a full minute before he drops all the gold he was holding and wordlessly walks over to her to kiss her slowly and sweetly. When the kiss ends Killian presses his forehead to hers and holds her close.

"I almost forgot that I already have greatest treasure in all the realms." And then he looked in her eyes to emphasize every word. Emma's blush creeps from her cheeks down her chest as she looks away.

"Love you too, Killian." She says in a very small voice and he smiles at her and then pulls her along again as they search the massive hall for the amulet.

They finally find the statue hidden away behind several piles of treasure and Killian lifts Emma up so she can reach the necklace hanging from the elephant's over-sized ear.

"Finally!" Emma exclaims as Killian lowers her back down and they stop to have a look at the amulet. Emma runs her fingers over the smooth swirls of white gold, etched with strange markings and then over the large stone at the bottom.

"It's beautiful." She says and then sighs and turns to Killian.

"Ready to get out of here?"

Killian pretends to ponder her question before grinning at her.

"After you, Love." And Emma pretended not to notice his hand darting out those few times towards the treasure on their way out.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

 _Robin Hood's Camp_

Emma and Killian return to camp in much the same manner that they left it, hand in hand. Roland spots them first and runs straight to Emma, jumping up into her arms as they stroll into camp. Antione stands waiting for them with a trepidatious expression and arms crossed and a pang of guilt goes through Emma for letting Killian take the gold.

"So, I guess you found what you were looking for?" Antione asks as they approach. Emma opens her mouth to start apologizing to him but Killian cuts her off.

"Aye, mate. We did. Also grabbed a few handfuls of the gold sitting around. Hope that sits alright with you, mate." He says seriously, looking Antione in the eye as Emma stands silent, waiting.

The giant pauses to study Killian for a minute and then looks away with a shrug.

"If I minded you taking it, I would only have made a bracelet for Emma." He says, making Killian nod in thanks and grin as Emma lets out the breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Sorry. We plan to give some of it to the merry men for Roland." She says quickly.

"It's fine." Antione dismisses, turning to sit on a log.

"So, what's your next move?" he asks and Emma sits down beside him as Killian wanders off to show off his plunder to the merry men.

"I think we better go have a talk with Rumpelstiltskin before we head home. [she sighs] Really not looking forward to that." She says, half to herself and Antione nods in agreement as Little John approaches them.

"Sorry but I was wondering if I could have a word with the princess for a moment."

"Sure. Best of luck, Emma. I'm glad I could help you a little bit." Antione says and Emma leans over to hug him.

"You helped plenty." She replies with a warm smile and Antione returns her smile, stands and grabs a drink before he joins the party. Little John takes his seat, his eyes darting around nervously.

"Emma, I was hoping to have a minute with you before you left, to ask you a favour." He begins, nervously.

Emma smiles at him to put him more at ease.

"Of course. What's up, John?"

Little John fidgets a bit and then looks at Emma.

"Roland misses Storybrooke. He misses Regina and his sister. [he pauses for a moment] I was hoping you could talk Regina into coming here to see him. I can provide you with magic beans as trade. Antione has been growing them here." He rambles out quickly.

Emma smiles warmly at Little John and puts a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"Hey. You don't need to trade us for that. Consider it done."

And Little John sighs with relief.

"Thank you, Princess. But please take the beans anyway; they will make it easier to finish your quest, whether to use or to trade." He finishes, forcing a small satchel into her hands.

Emma wants to protest but then reconsiders and thanks the big man.

Emma and Killian decide to stay one more night at camp before setting out towards Rumpelstiltskin's castle. Once more, the fire is lit and the ale flows as their friends say goodbye.

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Maybe _you_ should knock, darling. The crocodile isn't fond of yours-truly on the best of days and something tells me I will not be a welcome sight in his more… troubling times." Killian says, stepping back from the massive front door of Rumpelstiltskin's castle.

Emma smirks and steps up to the door as she says,

"Hundred bucks says he already knows we're here, anyway." She mumbles as she raises her hand to knock.

"Right you are, dearie." Rumple says from behind them and Emma and Killian whip around to face him, in all his sparkly glory.

"Now, care to explain why the two of _you_ [he gestures between them] are here at my door instead of back in Storybrooke, caring for my child?" he says with his usual dangerous flair.

"The Blue Fairy is taking care of Hope but we got a lead on a way to help Belle and came here to follow it." Emma says confidently.

Rumple bites back whatever he was going to say and studies the princess and the pirate thoroughly for a moment. Finally, he plasters the mischievous smirk back on his face and throws his hands in the air, saying,

"Well, then you may as well come in." And he 'poofs' them all into the main hall of his castle.

Emma and Killian find themselves standing in front of Rumpelstiltskin, who is sitting on a massive, ornate throne, looking down at them.

"So, tell me what it is you've found." He says, leaning towards them greedily.

Emma pauses and shares a significant look with Killian before speaking.

"We are looking into finding Atlantis. Apparently there may be something there that can cure Belle." She says and Rumple studies her again for a long minute.

"But what have you _found_?" he asks thoughtfully.

Emma straightens and stares right back at the Dark One.

"How about we'll share what we've found with _you_ , when you share what you've found, with _us_?" she suggests cleverly.

Rumple gives a small chuckle and suddenly jumps off his throne and strides from the room, forcing Emma and Killian to follow him. They walk into a large well-lit room filled by a massive table and on the table are several pieces of tattered paper. Rumple stands aside to let Emma and Killian study them, as he watches with sharp eyes.

"It looks like a map… but its… wrong." Emma says with a furrowed brow.

"It's like no map I've ever seen." Killian confirms looking at it from behind Emma's shoulder.

"Yes. I've scoured the realms, collecting pieces of this blasted map to Atlantis, only to find that the map is nonsense." Rumple says, annoyance and frustration dripping from his words. Emma squints at the markings covering the map and then her face smooths and her back straightens before she turns to Rumple.

"I think I can make the map make sense, but I want to make a deal before I help you." Emma says to everyone's surprise.

"Love, what are you doing?" Killian says, laying a cautious hand on her arm as Rumple steps in close to her.

"What kind of deal?" he says greedily, ignoring the pirate.

Emma slides her hand over Killian's in reassurance and looks at Rumple with a hard look.

"I will give you what you need to read the map but then we do things _my_ way. You don't make a single move without my approval."

Rumple reals back like she slapped him, but then he considers.

"Very well Princess, you have a deal." He says darkly and Emma nods as she reaches for her travel satchel to pull out the amulet. Drawn in at the sight of it, Rumple snatches the amulet from Emma's hands and holds it up to study it in disbelief.

"Where did you get _thiss_? He hisses at them.

"Nevermind where we got it, just remember our deal, Gold." Emma says warily.

Rumple ignores the comment and walks over to the map to place the amulet over a piece of the map on the table. Emma bends over the table to study the map with him.

"Is it working?" she asks

"Yes. Yes, this is the key to the map." He answers, not bothering to hide his excitement.

"Good." Emma says, standing once more.

"You can decipher the whole map back in Storybrooke. We need to go back there to check on things and get Belle before we venture off to Atlantis."

Rumple twitches at the command but then bows low.

"As per our deal, Princess." He says in agreement.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Emma, Killian and Rumpelstiltskin walk out of a portal and onto main street Storybrooke. Rumple tersely nods to Emma and then strides off towards his shop, leaving Emma and Killian to head over to Granny's Diner and out of the cold. The bell jingling over their heads as they come through the door, Emma and Killian breathe in the welcome smell of burgers and fries before joining a surprised Snow Neal and David at a table.

"You're back!" Snow exclaims as she jumps up to give Emma a hug.

Emma slumps down into a chair and waves at Granny, silently asking for food as David gives Killian a friendly clap to the back as he sits. Raising an eyebrow at her father, Emma asks about Hope before she starts explaining what happened in the Enchanted forest. Granny brings a couple burgers and an order of onion rings to the table and stands, listening to Emma's story.

"Wow. So… Atlantis?! _That's_ what Gold has been up to, these last few months." Snow says in an awed voice as David tries to shovel baby food into Neal's mouth and Emma nods around a mouthful of food. Killian smirks and raises an eyebrow at Emma's appreciative moan as she happily munches on her onion rings. Suddenly, he stands, addressing Charming and Snow.

"Well, it's been a tiring journey, as you just heard. We should be getting home for a shower and rest before dashing off to reclaim Hope from the Fairy."

Killian holds out a hand for Emma and she stuffs the rest of her onion rings in her mouth. With a wave to her parents and kiss on baby Neal's head, they are out the door again. Emma laughs slightly as Killian pulls her along the sidewalk towards home.

"In a hurry, are we?" and Killian pulls her close for a moment.

"Sorry, darling but that sinful moan you made at the table made it necessary for me to get you home and naked while we are still alone." He says with a sexy wink and then continues pulling her along after him. Emma laughs again as she hurries after him.

Arriving home, Emma notices that someone has decorated their house for Christmas and there are already a few wrapped presents under the tree. She starts to say something to Killian about it but he will not be deterred as he leads her up the stairs and to their room, where he proceeds to strip them both and usher Emma into the shower with feverish kisses.

They spend the next two hours pleasuring each other in both the shower and on the bathroom mat before falling onto Emma's bed in a damp mess of slippery body parts.

"Welcome home, Killian." Emma says in a breathy voice, grinning at him.

Killian smiles back at Emma and then nibbles her neck.

"That's the first time you've referred this place as _my_ home, darling."

Emma's eyes widen in realization and then she quirks her head with a smirk.

"I guess with all the craziness of the last few months, I just started thinking of this place as ours somewhere along the way." She says and Killian nuzzles in closer to her, pulling her towards his naked body so he can kiss more of her.

"Seriously? Again?" Emma says with a laugh as she melts into him.

"Well, if you're not up for it, Love…" he says pulling away with a playful grin.

Emma grabs onto Killian's shoulders and yanks him back down onto the bed and rolls over him, pinning him to the bed. He stares up at her with smouldering eyes.

"Not so fast, pirate. There are rules about a couple moving into a house together. And since we have been otherwise occupied lately, I think it's time we christen this place properly." She says, leaning over his chest to brush her breasts against it before moving to stand and saunter to the doorway of the bedroom. She turns back to Killian to say,

"That is, if you're _up_ enough for it…" she says, glancing pointedly at his erection before walking out the door with Killian on her heels.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N Tis the season for some Captain Swan flooooof. And Smut. Smuff? Whatever, Enjoy! :P**

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven**

 _Storybrooke Hospital, Christmas Eve_

Emma pushes the door of Belle's room open with her shoulder, Hope bundled up in her arms.

"Should we wish Mummy a merry Christmas, Hope?" she says as she grins and nuzzles Hope's nose with her own. Turning towards Belle's bed, Emma stops short and stands frozen.

"Good Evening, Ms. Swan." Gold says from his seat beside Belle's bed, where he sits, holding her hand.

"Oh. Sorry. We can come back tomorrow." Emma says awkwardly and then turns to leave.

"Nonsense." Gold says, collecting his cane from where it rests on the bed and standing.

"I am certain that Belle would much rather be in the company of her daughter tonight than mine." He states as he limps past Emma, towards the door.

"We can leave tomorrow." Emma blurts out and Gold's hand hesitates on the door handle. Emma turns to face him fully, bouncing Hope in her arms.

"I thought we should take the Jolly Roger since Atlantis is supposed to be a sunken city or whatever and we really don't know what to expect. It will also be easier to transport Belle. I thought we would leave about noon." Emma says and Gold nods slowly.

"Then I shall meet you at the docks at noon. Good night, Ms. Swan." He says quietly as he inclines his head and leaves the room, his eyes glancing to his daughter before he turns away.

Emma lets out a long breath after he is gone and then steps up to the side of Belle's bed with Hope.

"Merry Christmas, Belle."

oOoOoOoOoOo

An hour later, Emma is sitting on her couch grinning at her baby brother crawling around on the floor with Henry. Regina sits in an armchair with a drink in her hand and a smile on her face as she watches the kids as well. Killian stands in the kitchen talking with David, and Snow sits at the kitchen table holding Hope, awkwardly swapping mothering stories with Zelena as she feeds a bottle to baby Robin. Emma is struck suddenly by an overwhelming sense of family and how it has changed and grown over the last few years.

Heroes and villains, both here as one family.

One messed up, crazy family.

Emma laughs as she stares into the fireplace and thinks it over.

"Care to share the joke?" Regina says with an amused expression and Emma shakes her head and laughs again.

"I'm just thinking about where all of us started and how we got here."

Regina chuckles and mimics Emma as she stares off into the flames.

"I don't think _any_ of us could have predicted that we would end up here."

After a moments pause Regina continues with a grin.

"Maybe Henry."

Emma laughs loudly and nods in agreement.

"Yeah, maybe Henry."

oOoOoOoOoOo

Later that night, after Henry having left with Regina and Hope is tucked into her crib, Emma and Killian are still cleaning up the house.

"Well, that family dinner went better than expected. No threats or magic battles…" Emma says thoughtfully as she dries a wine glass that Killian hands her.

"Indeed. The witch's hard apple cider was a rather pleasant surprise as well." Killian says with genuine appreciation as he scrubs a plate, rinses it and hands it to Emma.

"Yeah, I had more than anyone, I think." She says with a tipsy giggle and Killian pulls the plug to the sink and turns to her with a knowing smile, arms crossed over his chest and a hip leaning on the counter.

"Will you be alright to travel tomorrow, Love? That cider is a potent concoction."

"Yeah, I'm not _that_ far gone." She says, sliding her arms around Killian's hips.

"Now, I think I'd better give you part of your present tonight since we are leaving for Atlantis tomorrow." She continues with a sultry gaze and Killian quirks his head in question.

"Very well, Swan. You have my curiosity piqued." He says, moving his hands over her ass and pulling her closer.

"You have to find it though." Emma says with a cheeky grin as she pulls away from him slightly.

"I take it from your tone that it is on your person, then." He surmises and he rakes his gaze over her body to consider where to start his search. Emma smiles in response.

Killian adopts his sexy smirk as he wets his lips with a swipe of his tongue and his eyes darken. He swaggers closer to her again to run a finger along Emma's collarbone, making her breath catch. Killian pulls aside the collar of Emma's t-shirt to show off a black leather strap running over her shoulder and he swallows suddenly as his smirk falters.

Emma looks from his fingers to his face with a sensuous gaze and smiles at Killian's expression. She starts backing away towards the stairs but Killian stops her with his hook around her wrist and pulls her back to him so he can slip a hand under her shirt to run up her stomach. He descends his mouth onto Emma's neck as his hand slides over the soft strip of leather running from her breasts to beneath her jeans.

"What… the blazes… is _that_!" he asks in a breathy whisper as he raises her shirt to pull it over her head. Emma quickly undoes her jeans and shimmies them off as Killian takes a step back to admire the black leather and mesh bodysuit covering Emma's lithe form.

"We should really head upstairs." Emma says, but Killian makes no effort to move and lightly trails his fingers over the edges of the bodysuit, murmuring,

"Soon." Seemingly entranced by the leather clad gift in front of him. He seems to want to drift his fingers over the whole suit as he tilts his head, this way and that, studying the look and feel of it on her skin.

"You were wearing this all night, under your clothing, darling?" he asks, not looking away from her body.

"Yes." She says, becoming intrigued by Killian's reaction to modern lingerie. She honestly expected for him to rip it from her body and ravish her in an excited frenzy but his slow perusal and light touches were making her hotter than she thought possible.

"And how did it make you feel, Love, keeping your secret hidden away from your family?" Killian rumbles close to her ear as he feathers his fingers up and down the mesh sides of the bodysuit and moves close enough that his chest brushes against hers.

Emma is getting more than a little dizzy and wet from the images his words were forming. He is turning on her mind while barely touching her body and Emma is nearly jumping out of her skin.

"Confident. Sexy… wet." She says, watching a muscle in his jaw strain as she pops the 't' on the last word. Killian presses Emma back into the refrigerator and finally looks up into her eyes with his lips parted and an inch from hers. His fingers trace a lazy circle over the leather covering Emma's mound and she gasps.

"And how did it feel _here_ , Love? The rough leather rubbing against you make you wet and wanting, darling? Shall we check?" Emma closes her eyes and breathes in sharply through her nose when his finger slips in from the side of the bodysuit to caress her folds. Unable to form words, Emma lets out a tiny squeak of pleasure.

"Oh yes, darling. You are positively sodden down there." He says as he pops open the snaps at the bottom of the bodysuit, leaving Emma's pussy exposed and at the mercy of Killian's touch.

Suddenly, he captures Emma's lips in a forceful kiss, claiming her mouth as she opens it in surprise. She barely notices Killian ripping the front of his pants open as he assails her lips with bruising kisses. Moments later, Killian grips Emma's thighs, throwing them up and over his hips as he thrusts his cock into her in one powerful stroke. Killian swallows Emma's carnal scream and drives himself into her, over and over.

The fridge is rocking with the force of Killian's thrusts and Emma is so turned on that she can only cling to him and try to be as quiet as she can while her climax creeps up on her. Emma bites down hard on Killian's shoulder and digs her fingernails into his back when she starts coming.

Killian slows his efforts, letting Emma have a few moments to recover as he whispers in her ear.

"Is this the reaction you were hoping for, Love?" he says and Emma gives a small chuckle as she clenches the muscles surrounding Killian's cock. He jerks forward and gives Emma a chastising but devilish look before resuming his powerful thrusts into her.

It takes only a few more minutes before they are both tensing and tumbling over the edge of climax; each other's names on their lips.

Emma slides her legs to the floor to steady them both as Killian leans heavily against the fridge. They are panting wildly and Emma turns to smile at Killian.

"Yeah, so, Merry Christmas, Killian." She says with a little laugh.

"Merry indeed, darling. But it's not over yet." He states seriously as he swoops an arm down to collect her discarded clothes, pulling her behind him with the other hand as he leads the way to their room.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Emma and Killian are woken by an excited Henry knocking on their door and yelling at them to get downstairs.

"Thank god we locked the bedroom door last night." Is all Emma says with her face still shmushed into her pillow.

"Aye. Aye." Killian says with a laugh before he rolls out of bed and grabs some fresh boxers from their dresser and tosses some panties to Emma. They dress slowly and head to the nursery to pick Hope up out of her crib and then make their way downstairs to the kitchen, smirking at one another while Henry is facing away, pouring pancake mix into a frying pan. Emma goes straight for the coffeemaker and Killian makes a bottle for Hope and hands it to Emma before he starts setting the table.

The feeling of family comes over Emma again as she accepts a plate of pancakes from Henry and she hands Killian a coffee before placing a hot cocoa with cinnamon beside Henry's plate. Sitting in her chair with Hope in her arms, Emma smiles at Henry and Killian arguing the many points of coffee versus hot cocoa.

After breakfast, they all leave the mess on the table and move over to the couch so Henry can dive under the Christmas tree and start handing out presents. As he starts ripping open game after Xbox game, Killian sits down next to Emma, moving an arm around her shoulders as she cuddles Hope on her lap.

"Here, Killian. This is from me." Henry says as he forces a medium-sized box onto Killian's lap and sits back to watch him open it while he crunches happily on a candy cane.

"Oh, cheers, lad." Killian says as he pulls the wrapping off and opens the box. Killian leans forward and his brow creases as he looks down at the small model ship in his hands. With a genuinely touched expression on his face, Killian looks up from the tiny ship to his soon-to-be stepson.

"Mate, this is… amazing." He says and Henry grins.

"I couldn't find an exact replica of the Jolly Roger of course, but I found one that was close and painted it to match." He says from his spot on the floor.

Killian studies his new treasure with awe.

"That is exquisitely done, lad. Thank you." Killian says as he carefully hands the ship to Emma and kneels down to give Henry a hug. Sitting back onto the couch with a strange smile on his face, Killian gestures to the gifts under the tree.

"There is a card under there for you to open, mate." He says with a wink at Henry.

Curious, Henry grabs the card and opens it to read, his face lighting up as he looks up to Killian with a conspiratorial grin and Emma laughs.

"Well, what is it, kid?" she asks her son with exaggerated impatience.

"It's, uh, riding lessons. Thanks Killian. I need those." He says to his mother before closing the card and stuffing it in his back pocket and exchanging another secretive look with the pirate.

"Your turn, Mom. It's from Killian." Henry quickly says as he holds out a flat box for Emma. She shifts Hope over to Killian's lap and takes the gift from Henry. She carefully unwraps a rough wooden picture frame encasing a beautifully rendered star constellation.

"Oh, Killian. It's beautiful. Did you _draw_ this?" She says and Killian traces a finger along the frame and nods slowly as he explains further.

"It's a constellation called 'Cygnus', or in the common tongue; The Swan." Emma's eyes grow wide and she darts her gaze from Killian to the gift in her hands as Henry sits up to peek at the gift.

"Wow. Thank you. It's amazing." Emma says and she smiles down at the frame as Henry turns to rifle through the gifts under the tree. Killian leans over to whisper in Emma's ear.

"Amusing fact, Love; In the Tahitian Islands they call that constellation 'Pirae-tea' [he smiles and shrugs] I've been doing research on your world at the library, while you are at work." He says with a smirk and a wink.

The floor is covered in wrinkled wrapping paper, Henry fully immersed in his newest Xbox game and Hope is napping while Emma cleans up and Killian prepares for their departure to Atlantis. The Blue Fairy is coming soon to pick up Hope and then they will meet the others at the dock.

"Kid, you ready to go?" Emma asks pointedly to get him moving away from the game controller.

"Yup. Turning it off now." He says as he jumps up, turns off the Xbox and runs upstairs to gather his things for the trip. Henry pulls out the card from Killian and re-reads the beautifully written note again with a grin.

 _Dearest Henry,_

 _As a gift to you, I have arranged for you to have riding lessons at the stables._

 _Unbeknownst to your darling mothers, your instruction will be carried out by none other than your sweet lass, Violet. Included in this gift will be a picnic blanket and basket for you to share with your sweetheart._

 _Merry Christmas, Henry_

 _Killian_


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N Well, I am back from my Xmas hiatus. Chapter's a bit rough I think but let me know what your think. Cheers!**

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight**

 _Storybrooke Docks_

"Ready, kid?" Emma asks Henry as she joins him leaning against the railing of the Jolly Roger. Killian is steering the ship into open water in order to pass through a portal to Atlantis.

"Yeah. Thanks for letting me come to Atlantis with you guys, Mom." Henry says in an excited voice.

"No problem, kid. But remember, you're staying with Regina to help keep Belle stabilized. At least until the rest of us find out if it's safe for you." Emma replies in her best 'mom voice'.

Henry nods and rolls his eyes.

"I remember, Mom. Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Emma smirks at her son and looks up at the helm to see Killian gesture to Henry.

"Why don't you go up and help Killian sail the ship." He says with a soft pat on Henry's shoulder.

"Cool!" Henry says and he turns to climb the steps to the helm. Emma watches Killian direct Henry on a few sailing pointers and then step back to let the boy take the helm. Killian catches Emma's eye and winks at her, making her smile and sigh before turning her gaze back to the sea and wondering about what they were about to sail into.

"Any idea what we can expect in Atlantis?" Emma asks as Mr. Gold approaches her.

"None at all. I just hope the legends of these healing pools are more than _just_ legends." He says in a biting tone as he stares out over the water with Emma.

"Me too. [leaning back to look at Gold] So, how do we get there?" Emma asks, pulling a magic bean out of her pocket. Gold straightens as well and pulls the Atlantean amulet from the inside of his jacket.

"The amulet will guide us there."

"Great. [turning to shout at Killian] READY?"

At the Captain's nod, Emma walks to the stern of the ship and tosses the magic bean as far out as she can. Gold steps up beside her and points the amulet at the portal, making the stone in the amulet glow as Killian steers the Jolly Roger towards the portal.

Emma hears her mother groan and Henry give a 'whoop' of excitement as they sail through the portal and a few moments later the ship crests over the edge of the portal and splashes down onto calm waters. Everyone takes a few minutes to steady themselves before looking around.

"There! Land!" David shouts to the others and they turn to see him pointing off the port side of the ship towards tiny speck of land in the distance. Killian turns the wheel accordingly and Emma walks over to join her father, mother and Mr. Gold, squinting at the island.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Almost an hour later, Killian pulls the Jolly Roger alongside an abandoned, ancient looking dock and hops over the side to tie off the ship as David helps roll out the gangplank. Emma walks down to stand beside Killian as the others disembark.

"Well, not exactly what I expected." She says with her hands on her hips as she studies the massive wall before them.

"I am curious to know what you expected." Says a voice from beside Emma, causing her to jump in surprise and Killian's hand to go to the hilt of his sword.

The old man in long white robes raises a staying hand towards Killian.

"There will be no need of that young man. No one here means you or yours any harm."

Emma, recovering from her momentary fright, steps forward with a tentative but friendly smile.

"Okay. Hello. I'm Emma. And you are?"

The old man smiles warmly back at Emma.

"I am Plato. Welcome to Atlantis. You have proven yourselves intellectually worthy to join our elite community of gifted and peaceful people." He says, suspiciously eyeing up Rumpelstiltskin as he disembarks the ship holding Belle in his arms and joins Emma and Killian and the others.

Killian, watching the old man closely, interjects before Emma can continue.

"Really not looking to stick around, mate. More interested in any cure you might have for the lass." He says, tilting his head towards Belle.

Plato follows Killian's gesture and narrows his weathered eyes at the unconscious woman in Rumple's arms.

"I see. How is it, that she came to be this in this condition?" he asks quickly.

Emma answers him in a tentative tone.

"She was hit with an enormous wave of magic as she gave birth."

Plato blinks several times and turns to Emma with an expression of shock.

"What did the woman give birth to?" he asks but Emma dismisses his question in favour of her own.

"That's a long story that can wait for later. Can you help her or not?" she asks in a very business-like way.

Plato takes a moment to look back and assess Belle and then look at each of the strangers in turn, his gaze resting worriedly on Rumple. With a deep breath of resignation, he speaks again.

"I believe that the healing pools will be able to help your friend. [everyone sighs with relief] However, there is an assessment of worthiness. Your friend is obviously unable to partake in this examination and so she will require a champion of unshakable character to stand in her place."

Having said his piece, Plato crosses his arms in front of him and waits for their decision.

Emma and the others look around at each other and then Emma looks at Rumple.

"No offense but I think you're not… the best choice for a champion, Gold." She says, fully expecting to be turned into a toad or something. But Rumple lies Belle down on a nearby stone bench and turns back to Emma with a smirk.

"I happen to agree with your assessment, Ms. Swan." He says in a low voice and everyone looks around nervously until Snow breaks the awkward silence.

"Okay. Well, -" Emma cuts her off.

"It's going to be me." Emma says determinedly and Killian steps up beside her to touch her arm as he turns his head to Plato.

"Wait. What does this 'assessment of character' entail?" he asks the old man seriously.

"She would not be harmed. It is intended only to test the intentions and heart of the champion."

Killian snaps his worried eyes to Emma's and she gives him a small smile of reassurance.

"See? I'll be fine, babe." Emma says, sliding her hand over Killian's and giving it a squeeze.

Plato bows his head slightly at Emma and stretches his arm out in a sweeping welcome to direct them towards the stone archway in the gigantic wall that wasn't there before.

"You are all welcome to rest and await the outcome of the assessment." He says to Regina, Snow and the others as Emma and Killian pass through the archway. Rumple picks Belle up again and leads the way for the others to follow. Henry is nearly bouncing with excitement and Regina places a hand his shoulder and raises a manicured eyebrow at him.

"Don't get too excited. You are _not_ leaving my sight, Henry." But Henry's grin doesn't even falter as he grabs her hand and pulls his mother through the arch with the others.

On the other side of the huge stone wall, an enormous city rises up before them. The stone wall encircles an intricate system of canals, weaving around massive marble buildings and beautifully designed gardens. The awed group absently board a small boat and without any apparent means of propulsion the boat smoothly starts moving them through the canal system towards the centre.

The overwhelming beauty of Atlantis has all of the Storybrooke people gazing around spellbound so they barely notice when the boat comes to a stop and Plato walks off and waits on the ornate wooden dock for the rest to follow him. When they finally are all assembled, the old man gestures to the small but beautiful marble building behind him up a small hill.

"There will be a place for you to be refreshed and wait for the champion to finish her assessment. Please." He says with a smile as he insistently motions for them to precede him to the building.

Snow takes a step forward and stops to look at Emma and Killian thoughtfully.

"Wait. I want to go with Emma. [she turns to Regina] Will you be alright with Henry?" she asks.

"Of course. We will wait with Belle and Gold. [directing her gaze at Emma] Good luck." Regina says before ushering Henry up the hill towards the building.

Plato looks between Emma, Killian, Snow and David and then bows slightly as he turns and whisks away down a path in another direction. Emma, Killian and her parents follow Plato silently as they look around.

The path leads through an enchanting garden and Killian's hand finds Emma's as they walk through the beauty of the Atlantean garden. After several minutes of walking they arrive at a small marbled area strewn with lounges and fountains. Waiting for them is another smiling old man in white robes. He has a long white beard, is bald and stooped over but there is a friendly twinkle in his eyes as the group approaches.

"Welcome, my friends. Welcome, welcome." He says as he shuffles forward to meet them and hurry them forward to a group of seats before him. Snow and David quickly sit on a padded bench and Emma chooses a large lounge but Killian opts to stand behind Emma, hovering with wary eyes sweeping around for any sign of a threat.

"Good. Good. I so rarely get visitors and I am just elated to meet you all. Now, my name is Socrates and I will be conducting the assessment. Which of you is the champion?" he says in an excited ramble, pausing to look around expectantly at them.

Emma smiles at the old man and raises her hand slightly.

"That's me. I'm going to be Belle's champion." She says with more confidence than she feels.

Socrates glances up at a sombre Plato and gets a short nod. Socrates claps his hands together with delight, directs his attention back to Emma and hobbles forward to clasp her hand.

"Excellent. Now we shall have a look at what's in your heart, my sweet."

Socrates says as he holds a hand out and Plato steps forward with a golden, jewelled chalice that he had not been holding a moment ago.

"You will need to drink all of the liquid in this cup and then lie down so that you do not hurt yourself."

Emma looks wary but nods at Socrates as Killian jumps slightly at the sudden appearance of a beautiful young woman beside him.

"Bloody hell. Where did you come from?" he says.

The beautiful woman just smiles sweetly at him and sits down next to Emma on the large lounge. Her long flowing white robes and long, dark, curly hair fan out around her and she looks at Emma with old, knowing eyes.

"I am Delphi. I will be your interpreter and guide during the assessment."

Emma is getting more and more apprehensive but studies the woman for a moment and then sighs.

"Okay. Let's do this." She says and holds a hand out for the chalice. Killian moves in and places a soft kiss on Emma's lips, making her smile up at him before he steps back again to stand by her side. Snow and David grasp hands and watch Emma put the cup to her lips and start chugging the contents as fast as she can.

Draining the cup, Emma swallows the last of the liquid and hands the chalice back to a grinning Socrates before leaning back to lie across the large padded lounge. Delphi scoots closer to her and places a delicate hand on Emma's temple.

"Tastes like boozy root beer." Emma says, licking her lips.

"Sleep now, champion. It will all be over when you wake." Delphi says and Emma wriggles around a bit to get comfortable.

After a few minutes, Emma drifts into a drug-induced slumber and after a few minutes more, she begins moaning softly in her sleep. Delphi, eyes closed and hands both placed on Emma's temples, speaks.

"She is beginning the dream. She is with her love." She says bluntly and Plato and Socrates simply nod their heads as if this is expected.

Killian raises an eyebrow as Emma's moans start getting louder and it becomes obvious that she is having an extremely good dream about him. Snow and David start looking around awkwardly as Emma starts moving around on the lounge and murmuring in her sleep.

Emma moans Killian's name loudly as she writhes around and starts sliding her hands over her body. Delphi pops one eye open and grins widely at Killian who smirks back as the tips of his ears turn a bright pink. Plato pointedly clears his throat and Delphi closes her eyes and goes back to her task before she speaks again.

"There is much love and passion for him. l will now guide her to her choice." She says and Emma stills suddenly. Slowly, Emma's head turns and her hand reaches out for something only in her mind.

"Neal?" she says in dreamy disbelief and Killian, Snow and David all tense and exchange a wary look before going back to watching Emma.

Socrates speaks softly to Killian, Snow and David.

"She will be given a choice: the choice between her present love or one that has been lost to her." He says in explanation.

"But Neal is dead." David says worriedly.

"It matters not. In her mind, the choice is very real. She can save the life of the one she used to love or the life of the one she loves now."

"But she's the bloody saviour. She will fight to save both Neal and myself. She won't choose." Killian says angrily until Plato's head snaps around to face him.

"Saviour? Is this woman the saviour of a realm?" he says frantically as Socrates starts fretting beside him.

Snow and David stand and approach the old men.

"Yes. She is the saviour of our realm. Is that a problem?" Snow asks apprehensively.

"The saviour's soul can never choose. She will forever try to save both and the test will not end until she chooses." Socrates says in a sad voice.

Killian steps in threateningly close to the old men.

"So, how the blazes do we wake her?" he asks in a dangerous tone as Emma starts shouting Neal's name, tears rolling down her face. She whips her head around and shouts Killian's name, then starts thrashing back and forth.

Plato and Socrates have gone pale and speechless as they watch Emma flail on the lounge.

Killian suddenly turns and sits next to Delphi and Emma. Delphi opens her eyes and looks at Killian before removing one shaky hand from Emma's temple and placing it on Killian's. Before anyone can stop it, Killian's mind is jerked forward into Emma's dream and he finds himself standing on one side of a distraught Emma with Neal standing on the other side of her.

"Emma, Love, you need to wake up. This test has gone awry, darling." He says, taking her hand.

Neal takes her other hand and says,

"Save me Emma. Only you can save me."

Emma's tear streaked face turns to Neal.

"Emma? Love, look at me." Killian says gently and Emma turns to him.

"It isn't real, Love. This is all the that blasted test. You can't save Baelfire, darling. He is gone." Killian's voice cracks at the end but he looks Emma in the eye with the truth.

"Please Emma. I need you to wake up darling. It is all a dream. Come back to me, Love." Killian begs and Emma pauses before he turns to Neal again.

"I'm sorry." She whispers to him and she drops her hand from his to grasp Killian's other hand.

Emma and Killian jolt awake to find several faces hovering above theirs but Emma immediately turns to roll into Killian's waiting embrace. Everyone backs away to give the lovers some privacy and Emma dissolves into tears in Killian's arms. He rubs small circles into her back as Emma sobs.

"It wasn't real, Love. Baelfire was never here." He murmurs into her hair as he hugs her fiercely and fights back tears of his own.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N Sorrrry that this has taken so long. I was working on the Ruby spin-off and then I just lost all motivation for a while. Hopefully I'm back in the groove now. Cheers.**

 **Chapter Twenty-Nine**

 _Atlantis_

"Well that was exciting." Socrates says with a shaky smile at everyone. Plato shakes his head and looks at a pale Emma, sitting on the lounge with Killian's arm tight around her.

Snow breaks free of David's hand and sits down to lean against Emma in silent support. Emma smiles weakly at her mother and then at her father before speaking in a broken voice.

"That was pretty intense." Emma says, blowing out a long breath and staring at her boots.

Socrates suddenly chirps in.

"Well, on the positive side of things, I think we can definitively say that your intentions are honourable. Therefore, you are free to bring your friend to the healing pools." He says with a satisfied smile and an emphatic nod of his head.

Four heads jerk up to look at the old man and then Emma smiles weakly at him.

"There's some good news." She says and stands with a huge sigh, Snow and Killian rising after her.

David smiles at Emma and says,

"Well, let's go wake up Belle."

He throws an arm around Snow's shoulders and kisses her temple with a relieved smile. Emma takes Killian's hand and smirks at him as they follow Plato back down the garden path towards their friends.

oOoOoOoOoOo

 _Atlantean Healing Pools_

A couple hours later, Emma, Killian and the others gather around a large pool in the middle of one of the many Atlantean gardens and watch as a sombre Plato and smiling Delphi carry Belle towards the water. The beautifully carved marble adornments make the natural pool of Atlantis seem even more magical to Emma and she smiles at the thought of her friend waking up and meeting her daughter.

Suddenly, Killian jumps forward and grabs Plato by the arm, halting their progress and snapping everyone's attention to him.

"Wait! What is the catch to this healing?" he asks with sudden fear and everyone furrows their brow at him in confusion. David's expression quickly turns to understanding and he steps up to back Killian.

"That's a good point. The healing spring in Neverland healed me but the catch was that I couldn't leave Neverland or I would die."

"Not saying that we won't find a way around it, but I think knowing the consequences beforehand would be prudent, mate." Killian says with a nod of appreciation at the prince.

Plato shakes his head with a small smirk of understanding.

"Fear not. I know of the Neverland spring; it merely covers harmful magic with a magic of it's own. This pool will _remove_ the magic entirely. Therefore, there is no, as you put it, 'catch'."

Killian slowly removes his hand from the old man's arm and looks to David with tentative acceptance. The men step back and Plato and Delphi continue into the healing pool with Belle.

Rumpelstiltskin leans in close from his perch on a marble retaining wall as Plato starts speaking ancient words in a low voice and the entire Storybrooke crowd hold a collective breath as they watch Belle for signs of life. After several minutes of chanting and whispered words, Plato and Delphi slowly submerge Belle in the healing pool. A minute or so goes by and everyone starts getting tense and twitchy before Belle comes lunging up from the water with a great splash. Gasping for breath and incredibly confused, Belle is assisted out of the healing pool by Delphi and everyone converges on her with tearful hugs and smiles.

"Wha-what happened? Where am I?" Belle asks, shaking her head to clear the fog in her mind.

Her eyes go wide and she grabs hold of Snow's arm and looks around.

"My baby?" Belle asks tearfully and Emma immediately comes forward.

"She's fine. She's with the Blue Fairy, back in Storybrooke." She says with a smile and Belle visibly relaxes.

Snow and Emma help Belle over to a marble bench to sit and rest while chattering on about all that has happened but Henry is looking around with a confused look.

"Where's Mr. Gold?"

oOoOoOoOoOo

Plato escorts the travellers to a large living-quarters and tells them all to rest before he returns later that night, then he excuses himself. After a long while of catching up with Belle in the lounging area, Emma starts yawning uncontrollably with drooping eyes and Killian rises from his seat, pulling Emma to her feet as well as he speaks to the others.

"Apologies, love. But I fear if Emma doesn't rest, she will become the next beauty that we are unable to wake." He says with a chuckle and Emma smirks and waves a good-bye as he escorts her away to find a bed for them to claim. Heading up a curved staircase, Killian opens a door to find a bedroom fit for a queen and pulls Emma inside and shuts the door behind her.

Barely able to keep her eyes open, Emma lets Killian tow her around and strip her to her t-shirt and panties before lowering her onto the bed and tucking her into his embrace as he climbs in beside her. Less than five minutes later, they are both fast asleep.

Hours later, Emma slowly wakes up to sweet kisses on her lips and she sighs contentedly into Killian's kisses. Opening her eyes to see him smiling at her she smiles back before moving closer to him.

"Sorry, Love. You are just so beautiful when you are sleeping, I couldn't resist. I still marvel, sometimes, that you are mine." He says with an expression of awe.

"All yours, Killian." She murmurs with a kiss on his lips and his heart swells.

Taking Emma by surprise, Killian slides out of the bed and pulls Emma with him by the hand, tugging her towards the huge balcony of their room. Holding aside the sheer curtains for Emma to walk through, she smiles in thanks before stopping short at the view before her.

She takes a few more steps to the railing of the balcony and Killian stands behind her with his arms around her waist.

Emma looks out over the high cliff that the balcony overlooks and watches the water fall from around them down into the mist covering whatever lies below the cliff. They could see the large wall in the distance that circled the city and beyond that it was an eternity of ocean. The sun is setting over the sea and the colours radiate across all they can see.

"It's just so beautiful." Emma says in a breathy whisper and Killian hugs her tighter.

The spell is broken by a gentle knock at their door. Killian gives Emma a quick kiss before turning to answer it. Emma hears some conversation at the door and then Killian comes back to her on the balcony.

"That was your mother. Everyone else is awake and downstairs where apparently a rather large assortment of food has been laid out for us." He says, wrapping Emma in his arms once more.

"I suppose we should join them, then." Emma says with a sigh.

"Darling, if you want to stay in this room for days, I will bar the door from intruders." Killian says with devilish smirk as Emma chuckles and turns back to the room, pulling Killian behind her. Another small knock at the door stops them. Killian opens it once more, to see Delphi standing on the other side with a neat stack of white fabric and a bright smile.

"I am here to dress the champion for the feast. I have robes for you as well, if you wish." She says with a smile at Emma's curious head, poking around the door.

A smirk over his shoulder at Emma, Killian shakes his head as he opens the door wider to admit Delphi and skirts out into the hallway himself.

"Rather happy with my leathers, darling. I'll meet you ladies down stairs." He says with a smirk as he closes the door on Emma's humorously confused expression.

Walking down into the lively feast happening in the lounge room, Killian sees several robed people milling around with drinks in their hands, near a massive table laden with foods of every kind. Minstrels played in one corner of the large room and a table of drinks is set up beside the buffet.

Stomach growling in appreciation, Killian makes his way over and finds Henry piling food onto an already-heaped plate. The pirate ruffles the boy's hair and grins at him.

"Hoarding food for a midnight snack, my boy?"

Henry reaches up to fix his hair and smiles back at Killian.

"Maybe. This food is awesome! If I had Violet and my Xbox here, I could stay here for a while." He says with enthusiasm as he continues piling his plate higher.

Killian laughs and fills a plate himself before grabbing a drink and joining Henry and David, sitting on the edge of a large fountain to eat and chat about the day's events.

Belle, Snow and Regina, having obviously been given the same 'dressing' treatment that Emma is currently being lavished with, mill around, laughing easily and nibbling on the assortment of food.

Killian sees Snow turn to the stairs suddenly and gasp in pleased surprise. He follows her gaze and whatever David had been saying to him, fades away as he moves his plate from his lap to the floor and stands. Many people stop to stare at a blushing Emma at the base of the stairs and Killian weaves around them towards his stunning Swan.

Bright white robes flow down from one shoulder and under her bust to trail behind her as she walks. Finely woven gold strands wrap around Emma's waist and down her arms, glinting in the candle light and her hair is intricately braided in waves down to her waist and secured in place by a golden circlet, woven into it and twisting down to drop a small emerald onto her brow.

Catching Killian's eyes as he makes his way towards her, Emma relaxes slightly and walks towards him. When Killian reaches her, Emma is surprised when he wordlessly takes her hand and gets down on one knee to look up at her with adoring eyes. He kisses her hand and Emma blushes a deeper red and gives a nervous laugh as she pulls him to his feet.

"You are the living embodiment of a goddess, Emma." Killian says, stepping back to take in her appearance again.

"I think it's a little over the top. Delphi wouldn't let me see myself until just before she shoved me out the door." Emma says, ducking her head and trying to ignore the people staring at her, but Killian takes her chin in his hand and raises her face to his.

"All she did was highlight your beauty to show one and all, darling." He says seriously before bringing her lips to his. Emma, needing the distraction from all of the attention, throws herself into Killian's passionate kiss. Even the pointed throat-clearing from her father somewhere nearby didn't deter Emma from Killian.

Emma and Killian break apart at the sound of Belle exclaiming loudly.

"Rumple!" she yells and everyone turns their attention from Emma and Killian to Rumpelstiltskin, looming in the doorway.

Rumple looks around with wary eyes before addressing Belle.

"I'm sorry for disappearing, Belle. But I thought I would retrieve something for you." He says to Belle's confused expression as he turns to pick up a large basket on the ground behind him.

Belle's heart leaps in her chest and Emma and Killian take an involuntary lunge forward at the sight of Hope's tiny face peeking out over the lip of the basket. With shaky steps and tears running down her chin, Belle walks to Rumple and lifts Hope out of the basket and into her arms, clutching her tightly.

Emma finds herself crying and smiling at Belle and Hope as Killian turns to the rest of the crowd.

"Alright, let's give them a bit of privacy, mates. Back to your drinks." He says, ushering everyone to turn back to the buffet table and their own business, but Emma is still watching Belle and Hope with silent tears as the baby reaches up to touch her mother's face and giggle.

A hand takes Emma's and she looks over at her mother's equally tearful smile.

"You did such an amazing job taking care of Hope these last few months while Belle couldn't, Emma. I can only imagine how bittersweet it must feel to give her back." Snow says with a squeeze of her hand.

Killian, having sufficiently dispersed the on-lookers, comes back to slide an arm around Emma's waist and pull her into a hug. Snow smiles at him quickly and then releases Emma's hand to go find David.

Belle has sat down on the doorstep, lost in the marvel of her daughter and Rumple sits awkwardly behind her, watching them with wonder.

Suddenly, Belle looks up and reaches out to Emma and Killian and they kneel by Belle to share in the moment.

oOoOoOoOoOo

 _An Atlantean Garden_

Rumpelstiltskin walks cautiously through the over-hanging vines and branches to a small over-grown terrace where he pauses and quirks his head to listen.

"You can come out now, dearie." He says as he adopts an air of indifference and absently examines his fingernails.

"Well, it's about time you showed up, Dark One." Zelena says as she sashays out of the shadows holding baby Robin in her arms.

"We were getting bored." She finishes as she walks over to Rumple.

"It took longer than expected to extricate myself from the festivities." Rumple says without turning to the witch.

"So, what do you make of Atlantis? Can it be taken?" she asks with glowing greedy eyes.

"I believe so. You are still willing to play your part, I take it?" he asks through gritted teeth.

Zelena smiles.

"I want the best life for my daughter and that pathetic town is not it."

"I agree. Our children deserve a new start in a place where they will be given the respect they are due. Atlantis will do nicely, I think." Rumple says with an evil smirk.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N So sorry, my lovelies. It has been a terrible few weeks for me and writing has been then last thing I have wanted to do. I had to really force myself to finish this chapter so, I'm sorry if it seems a bit… off. Hopefully the 'off-ness' is mostly in my head. Cheers.**

 **Chapter Thirty**

Trudging up the staircase to their room, Emma is very quiet and Killian lets her keep her thoughts to herself until he kicks the bedroom door closed behind them and takes her hand, spinning her slowly to face him. Jolted from her reverie, Emma looks at Killian in question as her hands unconsciously go around his neck.

"I know it's late but, are you alright, Love?" he asks as he tilts his head to study her face better.

"I'll be fine." She says and tries to turn away towards the bed but Killian pulls her back to him again.

"Meaning you're not presently 'fine'. What's rolling around in that head of yours, darling?" he asks as he leans in and kisses her forehead tenderly.

Emma hesitates but she knows that he won't let it go until she tells him what's wrong and so she sighs, averts her eyes, and speaks.

"It was harder than I thought, to give Hope back to Belle. [Emma laughs once, nervously] I guess I got really used to her being a part of our lives." She finishes with a shrug, continuing to stare anywhere but in Killian's face.

Unconvinced, Killian narrows his eyes at her and opens his mouth but then thinks better of it and closes his mouth and releases her. Emma escapes to the washroom to take off her Atlantean robes and get ready for sleeping as Killian strips and ponders.

Emma walks out of the washroom a few minutes later fresh-faced and back in her t-shirt as she steps heavily towards the naked pirate in her bed. Cuddling in beside him, Emma sighs contentedly. She is almost asleep when Killian finally speaks.

"Emma?" he asks in a low voice, not wanting to wake her if she is already asleep.

"What's wrong?" she asks, jerking upright to look at Killian in a panic.

Killian quirks a brow at her and holds up a hand.

"Nothing's wrong, Love." He says with a small chuckle.

"Oh. It's usually something serious when you use my name. It's all 'darling', 'love' or 'Swan', usually." She says with a sleepy laugh as she relaxes back into the bed beside him.

Killian laughs again and then sobers and rubs the back of his neck in a nervous gesture.

"Well, it's nothing life-threatening for once, but it is serious, I suppose." He says in a tight voice, making Emma sit up again to look in Killian's eyes and place a comforting hand on his chest, urging him to continue.

"I've had a bit of a revelation and I wanted to ask you about it, darling." He says, pinning her with that intense gaze she can never look away from.

"Okaaay. Now I'm getting a bit nervous." She says with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood slightly.

Killian returns her smile and tucks a stray curl behind her ear before he begins.

"I am unsure what your thoughts in this area are, Love, but I thought I would broach the subject regardless."

Emma's trepidation is growing but she waits for him to continue. With a deep breath, Killian blurts out,

"I never wanted to be a father. [Emma's eyes go wide] and then I met Milah, but she didn't want another child after Bae and I was happy with that; never gave it another thought." Killian gauges Emma's shocked expression and then continues.

"Emma, since I discovered that I had a future with you, the vision in my head, of our future has, not only Henry within our family, but other children as well."

At Emma's dumbfounded expression, Killian panics and changes tack, rambling quickly.

"If more children are not what you wish for, darling, I will be overjoyed with having a family of three. I only—" Emma places her fingers over Killian's lips, halting his nervous ramble.

He looks at her with naked earnestness and waits for her to say something.

Emma moves over him until she is sitting in Killian's lap and she can look straight into his eyes and after a long pause, she speaks.

"I think… I do want to make a baby with you, Killian." She says as she leans in and presses a sweet kiss to his lips to cover her nervousness and then leans back again.

"I just don't think that I'm quite ready for it. Yet." She says and barely finishes speaking before Killian grabs her by the hips and flips them both over, with a toothy grin.

"I could not have asked for a more perfect response, Swan. [his expression turning carnal] Now, I suppose we should make certain that we have the mechanics perfected before venturing on to making tiny humans." Killian says as he lowers his lips to Emma's neck to nibble her pulse point.

Emma laughs happily until Killian's touches turn her focus to more urgent matters.

Drowning in love and each other, Emma and Killian take their time savouring their night of peace.

Emma, now fully awake, rolls onto her stomach and Killian leans back against the headboard of the bed to look down at her with an easy smile as she starts tracing the many scars on his body with her fingers; tracing and then asking about each one before kissing it softly and moving on to the next. Killian watches Emma's fingers and tells her every tale he can remember.

Emma, finished her lazy exploring of his many scars, leans over to lick the outline of the compass rose tattoo on his chest and Killian sucks in a sharp breath as his arms come up to encircle Emma and pull her body over his. He gently takes hold of her wrist and turns it to place a kiss on the small flower tattoo there before capturing her index finger in his mouth and swirling his tongue around it with a smouldering look in his eyes.

"Mmm" escapes Emma's mouth and she bites her bottom lip in anticipation as she rolls her hips into Killian's, making both of them gasp with pleasure. Grinning with wicked desire, Emma holds Killian's eyes as she slides her sex slowly up and down his erection, torturing them both with the amazing sensations. Minutes later, Killian smirks as he tilts his hips slightly on her downstroke and enters her hot folds.

"Killian!" Emma gasps breathlessly. He just smiles at her and threads one hand through hers and the other through her hair, giving it a small tug as she impales herself deeper onto him.

Emma rides him slowly and deeply, breaking his gaze only to glance down and watch where they are joined for a few seconds and then back to his eyes as her pace quickens.

Watching Emma, watch them together, makes Killian suddenly wild and he grips her hips hard and starts thrusting up into her. Emma's eyes shut in concentration and as she tenses, the lanterns in the room start to flicker.

"Look at me, Love. Open your eyes, Emma." Killian says in a low, soothing tone.

Emma opens her eyes and her gaze bores into his as the lanterns flicker again. Her swollen lips part on a sigh and suddenly little white sparks start trickling down around them. Killian only really takes notice when the tiny sparks land on his skin and send tingles through his body. Emma starts crying out as she gets closer to falling over the edge and more and more sparks start fluttering around them.

Killian's fingers are threaded through Emma's and they both grip each other tightly as they move together. As Emma crests the wave of her climax, the magic sparks shower down over them and Killian follows her over that edge, spilling himself inside her with her name on his lips.

The sparks around them slowly wink out as Emma's muscles relax and turn to liquid. She falls forward onto Killian's chest, panting hoarsely. Killian himself has trouble catching his breath but he cradles Emma in his arms and kisses the crown of her head before they both wordlessly drift off to sleep.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Regina raises an eyebrow at the flickering lanterns around her as she climbs the stairs to go to bed. Sighing as she pushes open the door of her room, Regina is shocked to see her sister perched on the edge of her bed, cooing to baby robin. Zelena glances from the baby in her arms to her sister and smiles wickedly.

"Hello, sister."

Regina reels for a moment and then plants her hands firmly on her hips.

"The hell are _you_ doing here? And _how_ the hell did you even get here?" she asks with confused irritation.

Zelena stands and bounces baby Robin gently.

"I came through with the Dark One when he went through to retrieve his daughter. I decided that I deserved a little holiday from the dreary cold of Storybrooke.

Regina scrutinizes her sister sceptically but then takes a deep breath and forces a smile.

"You know what? I am going to take you at your word. I am going to make an effort to believe that you are really trying to make a better life for your daughter and for yourself; a life with friends and family and _trust_." Regina finishes pointedly.

Zelena is staring at Regina with barely concealed shock and can't seem to form a response, so Regina goes on with a slightly less forced smile.

"Well, let's go find you your own room." She says as she ushers a still-stunned Zelena out into the hallway.

Recovering slightly once in the hallway, Zelena looks at her sister and asks,

"You aren't the least bit suspicious about my intentions?"

Regina turns to her sister at the door of a vacant room and grins.

"Suspicious? Yes, But, like I said, I am choosing to trust you. Trust has to go both ways and it has to start somewhere. So, this is me trusting you, Zelena." Regina says with a genuine sigh of wary relief as she opens the door for Zelena to enter her new room.

Zelena is silently thoughtful as she walks into the room and then turns back to Regina.

"It has been a very long time since anyone has even tried to trust me." She says cryptically and then closes the door between them.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N Fluff, fluff everywhere. It's like a pillow exploded over this chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Thirty-One**

 _Atlantis House_

Killian and Emma walk down the stairs of their temporary home hand-in-hand, on their way to grab something to eat before heading out to explore Atlantis but they both stop dead at the sight of Zelena lounging next to Regina on large chaise with baby Robin playing at their feet.

"Morning, lovelies. Strange business with the lights, last night, wasn't it?" Zelena says smugly to their shocked faces. A blush spreads from Emma's face down to her chest and Zelena smiles wider.

"It was almost as if an uncontrollable wave of magic went through the entire house. [Zelena raises an eyebrow at Killian] Or two…"

Regina hides her grin behind a mug of coffee as Emma tugs Killian's hand towards the breakfast table.

"Yeah, weird." She mumbles as they make their escape, much to the amusement of the sisters.

Emma pulls Killian through the house, stopping to snag a couple of oranges off the breakfast table as they leave. Emma looks over at Killian when they are outside the house and his barely contained amusement causes her to burst out laughing as they start walking towards the Atlantean marketplace.

"We aren't even going to question how the blazes the witch got here?" Killian asks with a chuckle.

Emma smiles sweetly and makes a mockingly pensive face before answering him.

"Nope. Regina didn't seem concerned about it, so I think we can leave that for later." She says and she links her arm through his as they walk.

"Very well. So, where are we off to first, darling?"

"I thought we could start with a wander around the marketplace and then see where it takes us. Sound good?" she asks with a quirk of her smiling face.

"Whatever your heart desires, Swan."

The couple make their way to the marketplace and explore the many strange and wonderful things for sale or trade at the brightly coloured stalls before wandering off again to find a garden bench. They find Socrates sitting on a bench nearby and decide to join him.

"Hello. Would you mind some company?" Emma asks the elderly man, whose face lights up at the sight of them.

"Not if the company is you, my dear. Please." He says as he scoots over and gestures for them to sit.

"I was hoping to see you both again." He says eagerly.

"Really?" Emma says, encouraging him to continue.

"Yes. I have noticed your ring of intention and wished to extend an invitation to officiate your life bond here in Atlantis." He finishes with an excited grin and Emma turns her confused face to Killian.

He smiles at Emma and takes her left hand, rubbing a thumb over her engagement ring.

"He is asking if we want to get married here, Love." Killian says with a pensive smile as he watches Emma's expression of confusion turn to surprised understanding.

She turns back to a beaming Socrates.

"Oh! Uh…" she blubbers as her head whips back to Killian again.

"There is no pressure for it, I simply wanted to extend the invitation." Socrates says before huddling in towards them, conspiratorially.

"We don't have occasion to host these kinds of ceremonies here very often." He says with a funny chuckle as he begins to stand.

Emma turns to Killian once more with amused contemplation.

"What do you think? I mean, everyone we need for it, _is_ here…" she says with a slightly dazed look.

Killian lifts the hand he is holding and kisses Emma's ring and then her knuckles.

"Darling, I would marry you in an ogre den if that is what you wished. Though I have to admit, Atlantis is a far more appealing setting for such occasions." He says with a cocky wink and smirk.

Emma stops to stare at the ground for a moment and think before looking up at Killian again with a slightly wild expression.

"Let's do it." She says suddenly and gives a nervous giggle before Kilian swoops in to place a tender kiss on her lips. When they pull away, they both look up at Socrates who claps his hands together in excitement.

"Splendid. Now, just leave it all to me. Have a walk around Atlantis and send me word when you have found the perfect place for the ceremony. [Socrates crouches to whisper to them again] I encourage you to consider the southern gardens." He says before straightening as much as the hunched old man could and shuffling off with chuckle.

"Wait!" Emma says suddenly and Socrates turns with a questioning expression.

"Don't tell our friends. Let's make it a surprise." She says and Socrates nods again with a giggle and continues on his way.

Emma turns from the retreating old man to find Killian watching her with affection.

"You're marrying me." He says in awe and Emma leans in with a smile and kisses him softly.

"I'm marrying you, _today_." She says and he pulls her back to him for a deeper kiss.

oOoOoOoOoOo

 _Southern Gardens Reception Room_

"Formal reception, huh? Seems like they would have done this when we first got here." Henry says as he pulls at the stiff collar of his suit and looks out over the many Atlantean's who have come to welcome them. David reaches over and straightens his grandson's collar and replies.

"Well, I suppose we were in a hurry to cure Belle when we got here." He says and Henry considers and then nods at David's explanation.

"I'm just glad they had clothes other than those white robes for us." He says with a chuckle and Henry grins at him in agreement as Plato clinks a fork against his glass to get everyone's attention.

"Welcome, everyone. If I could ask that you all make your way out to the gardens and sit, we will get started shortly." He says happily and the crowd moves towards the garden as Plato walks to David and Henry.

"Might I have a word in private, Prince?" he says to David and Henry shrugs.

"I'll save you a seat." He says to his grandfather before following the crowd outside.

Henry doesn't see any of his family except Killian and so he makes his way over.

"Hey, where is everyone? I can't find my Mom's or Grandma."

"I'm sure they will find us, lad. I was actually hoping you would stick by my side for a while, mate." Killian says with a sneaky smile.

"Sure. So, do you know what exactly we are supposed to _do_ in this ceremony?" Henry asks as the crowd settles into their seats.

Killian smiles wider and looks away for a moment.

"I have an idea, yes."

Suddenly, Henry's brow furrows and his eyes start darting around. He takes in where Killian and he are standing and the how the sea of guest chairs are parted in the middle to make an aisle. He looks at the romantic lanterns set in the trees, the flowers placed here and there and the view of the setting sun over the ocean from the high cliff they are standing on. Henry's gaze slides from the marble columns behind them, forming an altar, to Killian's smirking face as he watches his future-stepson work it all out.

"Wait. Is this… Is this a wedding?" he says in a hushed tone and Killian smiles and looks at the ground before looking back up into Henry's face with deep amusement.

"Sharp lad." He says finally and Henry's face lights up as he tries to contain his grin.

"What do you think?" Killian asks honestly and Henry smiles happily.

"I think it's perfect."

"Splendid. Then I have just one more question for you. [Henry quirks his head in question] Will you stand with me as my best mate when I marry your mother?" Killian asks seriously.

Henry, slightly shocked for a minute, recovers quickly and surprises Killian by giving him a big hug.

"Of course, I will."

Killian grins and helps Henry pin a small rose onto his lapel before putting one on himself and then the two men turn to wait and watch for the bride.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Snow stands next to David and Regina inside the large reception room, adjacent to the gardens, and looks around.

"Do either of you know what is going on? Plato asked us to wait here and then just left." She asks in mild confusion.

Regina shrugs, unbothered, and turns to face the back entrance of the reception hall, grinning suddenly.

"I think I just figured out what's going on." She says in a smug voice and Snow and David turn to find Emma standing at the back entrance. Snow's eyes go wide and a loud gasp comes out of her mouth. David just stares, dumbfounded, at his daughter.

Emma steps forward and layers upon layers of dusty blue tulle flow behind her, embroidered beautifully with delicate silver threads. The swirling layers of tulle come up to hug around Emma's hips and then around to her bust, held in place by small silver adornments. Another small circlet of white gold threads through Emma's shining golden curls and several teardrop shaped sapphires drip from it onto her forehead, making her eyes sparkle as she grins back at Regina.

"The Captain won't know what hit him." Regina says and Emma blushes before she holds out a single, long-stemmed white rose to Regina.

"I need a bridesmaid." Emma says.

Shocked momentarily into silence, Regina takes the rose and smiles as she gives Emma a small curtsy.

"I would be honoured, Princess." And Emma bows back.

"The honour is mine, your majesty." Emma says, making them both laugh at the formality.

Emma takes a deep breath and turns to her parents, still staring at her with big eyes and jaw's dropped.

"Mom, Dad, you okay?" she asks with a bit of concern. Snow shakes herself and blinks rapidly as she steps forward and hugs Emma tightly. She pulls back and tears start welling in her eyes.

"Don't start crying, Mom. If you do, then I will, and I have no idea how to fix what Delphi has done to my face." Emma says with a watery chuckle and Snow dabs at her eyes.

"Okay, okay. I'm fine. I just,- I'm fine." She rambles as she grins and tries to hold back the tears.

Emma looks at a pale David and gives him a wary smile.

"Dad?" she says gently and David rears back like she slapped him.

"Sorry. Sorry, I just—my daughter is getting married… I…" he trails off with a dazed shake of his head.

Emma looks at her mother and then back to David.

"I was really hoping that my parents would walk me down the aisle." She says hopefully with a sad smile and David suddenly lunges forward to hug Emma and holds her tight.

"Of course, we will." He says and then releases her to take his wife's hand and gives it a squeeze.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking about when I saw your mother for the first time at our wedding. I thought she was the most beautiful bride I'd ever seen." David says as he turns to Snow and smiles.

"Seems that she has some competition for that title."

Snow and Emma laugh as they fight more tears.

"Okay. Well, let's go get you married to your true love." Snow says with barely contained joy. She accepts the rose that Emma holds out to her and then Emma turns to pin a small rose onto David's lapel. She stands back to link arms with her mother and David steps to Emma's other side and wraps her arm around his. They all smile and look to Regina.

"You first, your majesty." Emma says and Regina gives a laugh as she turns to the garden entrance and walks through it as the small band outside starts playing.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Killian watches the queen stride regally down the aisle between the rows of chairs and stop a few feet away from him. She tilts her head to wink at Henry who is still grinning uncontrollably and then looks at Killian with an evil smirk.

"When you see her, just don't forget to breathe, Captain."

The queen and the pirate share a cunning smile before the music changes and Killian turns to lock eyes with Emma at the end of the aisle. A collective cry of delighted surprise goes up around them but Killian only sees Emma. Her open smile warms his heart as he opens his mouth to draw in a shaky breath. She starts walking towards him and Killian knows he probably looks like a fool, staring at her with his mouth open, but he can't seem to do anything else.

When Emma is standing in front of him, David turns to shake his hand and Killian's attention finally is drawn away from his stunning bride.

"Mate, would you mind so much standing up here with Henry and I?" he asks in a shaky voice and David nods his head after a moment and walks over to stand beside Henry.

Emma can't stop smiling any more than she can stop the millions of thoughts fluttering through her head. Killian is staring at her like he is in an equal state of bewilderment and she can't believe that she is about to marry him. He looks so damn handsome; standing there in his shin-length, gray jacket over a new black leather vest and black trousers. He is wearing a dark tie and there is a long steel sword strapped to his hip. His boots are polished and his scruff has been expertly trimmed, but it's the look of love in his eyes that fills Emma's heart and she steps forward to take his hand as a grinning Socrates begins to speak.

"Welcome friends. Well now, if you haven't sorted out why we are all here, you may need to have your eye-sight examined." He says and then giggles to himself for a moment before sobering

"Alright, alright. We are here to bear witness to the declaration of a life-bond between these two lovely people." He says with a jovial tone and gestures to Emma and Killian.

"So, without any more blathering from me, Killian, will make his declaration."

The wrinkly old man steps back and goes silent as the crowd's attention focuses on Killian.

He takes a deep breath and when he speaks, he speaks only to Emma.

"Emma Swan, I give you my eternal vow that all my love will follow you into every daring adventure you get us into [he says with a chuckle, making Emma smile wider]. I promise to stay at your side through all the years and love you with every moment of my remaining days."

Emma's face is starting to hurt from smiling so hard and trying to hold back her tears as Socrates steps forward.

"Emma, do you accept Killian's vow?" he says with sparkling eyes.

"I do."

"Excellent. Emma, you may now make your own declaration." Socrates says before stepping back again.

Emma stares into Killian's piercing eyes and gives his hand a small squeeze as she starts to speak.

"Killian Jones, you make me happier than I ever thought I deserved and unafraid of the future because I know you will be there with me. I swear to you that I will love you and fight for you until my dying breath."

Killian leans in to rest his forehead on hers as Socrates steps up again to speak.

"Killian, do you accept—"

"Bloody right, I do." Killian says with a mischievous grin at Emma and a low chuckle goes through the crowd.

Socrates giggles and then speaks again.

"Well then, I pronounce your life-bond complete. You may kiss—"

But Killian beats him to it and captures Emma's lips in a scorching kiss that she melts into as the crowd stands to cheer. They can hear Henry give a big 'whoop' and a few wolf-whistles through the clapping but Emma and Killian are far too engrossed in each other to care.

Then the earth shakes and a deafening roar splits the air.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N I think we are getting close to the end, darlings. My muse is drifting towards other tales. Also, sorry this took so long. I had written this chapter and had it sitting there starting at me but I wasn't happy with it so after a while I re-wrote it and now I'm much happier. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Thirty-Two**

 _Atlantis_

Emma's first thought is 'Are you kidding me? I've been married for less than a minute!' as she struggles to keep her feet on the shaking ground.

"Bloody hell. I know that roar." Killian mutters as his eyes widen and he whips around towards the sea. Several wedding guests start pointing and Emma turns her head to watch several enormous tentacles spring from the waves as the beast sounds another mighty bellow.

"What is it?" Emma asks Killian as she steps in closer.

Killian looks at her with fear in his eyes and swallows hard.

"A kraken." He says amidst another bone-rattling roar.

"You've fought one before?" David asks worriedly but Killian is shaking his head before David finishes his question.

"No. I outran it on my ship. The fastest ship in all the realms almost wasn't fast enough." He says with a worried look at Emma.

"Second fastest." A strong voice says from a few yards away and everyone turns to watch a tall handsome man in a strange navy uniform with dark eyes and caramel-coloured skin, stride up the aisle towards them.

"Nemo?" Killian says in a shocked voice and the man grins charismatically.

"That's _Captain_ Nemo, pirate. And I'm fairly certain that my ship could give yours a run for its money." He says as he walks up to clap Killian on the back with a teasing grin.

Killian returns his grin and embrace, and opens his mouth to speak as the kraken sounds another bellow.

"It seems there has been quite a lot happening here in Atlantis since I left." Nemo says as his gaze slides appreciatively towards Emma and he whistles low.

Killian grins wider and gestures his arm out to Emma.

"Captain Nemo, may I present my wife, Mrs. Emma Swan." He says with a wink at his bride and Nemo takes her hand and lifts it to his lips.

"There are not many men that I envy in this world, _Mrs._ Swan, but you, I'm certain, have just made this pirate one of them." He says before brushing a kiss across her hand.

The kraken roars again and Emma pulls her hand back with an apologetic smirk.

"Maybe introductions and pretty words can wait until _after_ the present crisis?" she says and she looks around to see that they are now flanked by the rest of the Storybrooke crew. Belle pushes forwards with Hope cradled in her arms.

"Rumple is missing." She says miserably, holding Hope closer as everyone else takes an irritated sigh.

"Of course he is." Emma says as she throws up her hands.

Zelena takes that moment to gently shoulder her way past David and with a guilty glance at Regina, she speaks.

"Confession time, I suppose." She says in a forced cheery tone and everyone turns to her, waiting for the creature at sea to finish another deafening roar before attempting to speak.

"I thought I had a bit more time before the Dark One made his move but [She turns to Regina] I have taken to heart what you said to me last night about trust starting somewhere." Zelena says in a stiff, awkward way and then with a loud sigh, she continues.

"I have been in league with Rumple for some time now. I was the one who got the information about Atlantis from the lady pirate and sent the Dark One off looking for it. I also dropped the idea of the healing pools to Emma that day she visited me, at his behest. He needed someone to fetch the amulet for him and knew that the Saviour wouldn't rest until she found the bloody thing."

Everyone is staring at Zelena, slack-jawed, as they process the notion that they have all been manipulated so skilfully. Regina recovers first and with a resigned expression, asks,

"Why? What do you both get out of attacking Atlantis?"

Zelena seems to shrink in on herself as she looks down at little Robin with a sad smile.

"A place for our children to grow up without the stigma of being the offspring of evil. Without the judgemental glances from the entire town weighing them down." She says, her voice breaking and tears welling in her eyes.

Another roar makes everyone cringe and then Henry looks at Zelena with a sad smile.

"It's really not that bad, actually. [turning to Regina] No offence, Mom." And Regina smirks.

"No, that's fair. I was evil." She says with a shrug.

The massive creature roars again and then Belle interjects.

"Alright, so what exactly has Rumple _done_ to Atlantis?" she asks angrily.

Zelena shakes her head before responding.

"I don't actually know. He's not exactly one to divulge the details of his plans to anyone, is he? Although, I'm fairly certain that _that_ wasn't part of his devious ploy." She finishes, gesturing to the angry creature, growing ever larger from the sea.

"If I may, your friend is attempting to seize the magic heart of Atlantis for himself. Only that would awaken its protector." Plato states in a stern voice from behind Snow and David.

Everyone turns to him and Emma steps forward.

"What exactly is the 'heart of Atlantis' and where do we find it?" Emma asks in slightly huffy tone and Plato narrows his eyes slightly in suspicion. Emma takes a mental step back.

You have to believe me when I say that none of us are a part of this plan to take over Atlantis… [she locks eyes with Zelena for a moment] anymore." She says determinedly as Killian steps in behind her.

"We need a way to stop the Crocodile. Can the kraken be called off?" he asks Plato suddenly and the older man stills.

"The beast will not slumber again until the threat is gone from Atlantis. It was put in place to defend the heart of Atlantis, if it fails in that, it will destroy the whole city to keep our many treasures and secrets from being used for evil purposes." He says with a wary on the sea.

"I believe that is why you called for me?" Nemo says seriously, stepping closer to Plato with a thoughtful expression and the old man nods slowly.

"I sent for you when the strangers first arrived. The Dark One worried me." He admits guiltily.

"So if we can get the Dark One away from Atlantis, the creature with retreat?" Killian asks with a quirked eyebrow and everyone turns to watch Plato nod.

"Great. We just need something that will hold the Darkest of Dark Ones long enough to whisk him away home. Sounds easy." He says, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"There isn't very much that can hold Rumpelstiltskin now. I doubt that squid ink would stop him for more than a second." Emma says, thinking out loud.

Socrates, who has been silently listening until now, speaks up in an uncharacteristically serious voice.

"Squid ink, no. But kraken ink would."

Everyone turns towards him with mouths slightly ajar.

Snow recovers first.

"Wait, kraken's have _ink_?"

Socrates nods to her and goes on.

"Yes. It will immobilize anything; magical or not, indefinitely. The only way to free them from the kraken ink is to give them the same amount of kraken blood." He finishes.

Emma blinks rapidly as she keeps up.

"And I don't suppose you have a vial or two hanging around of both of those…" she asks as she turns towards the sea beast and gives a resigned sigh.

"No." Socrates confirms and Emma takes a bolstering breath and turns to her friends.

"Well, first things first, I need something to wear that's less poofy and more… fighty. Then I think we are going to need a plan to get some of this kraken ink and blood."

Emma looks down at her dress and gives one last, sad sigh before she waves a hand over herself, her fairytale gown dissolving into magic and being replaced by her usual jeans and leather jacket.

Regina takes her cue from Emma and starts magically preparing herself for a battle. Snow steps in front of her and with a quirk of her head, silently asks for the same treatment. Regina waves her hands around and the rest of the Storybrooke gang is suddenly clothed and armed for battle.

"You are a very intriguing group of people." Nemo says contemplatively as he runs his gaze over all of them.

"We do try to impress." Regina says snidely, sauntering by Nemo with smirk.

Plato looks to Emma with a worried expression.

"I'm afraid, if you cannot subdue the Dark One, we will be forced to use deadly means to protect our city."

Belle pales noticeably and Emma nods tersely.

"If we can't get him out of Atlantis, I may just use deadly means, myself." She says as she unsheathes her sword with a fierce expression.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

 _Atlantis_

"Alright. So, how the hell do we get kraken blood and ink?" Emma asks the assembled group around her as she plants her hands on her hips in a resigned fashion.

Killian inches closer to her to brush her shoulder with his in silent understanding. She glances at him with a knowing smirk for a fleeting moment and then focuses back on the task at hand.

"If we had that mermaid bracelet we could dive down under the creature." Snow offers quickly before frowning.

"But we don't have it and it would take too long to go get it." She finishes.

Captain Nemo has been thoughtfully analysing them all for a while before he steps forward and speaks.

"The kraken will shoot its ink in order to immobilize its prey. If I can get close enough to provoke the creature I believe I will be able to obtain the ink." He says in a strong voice.

Killian nods at him in agreement.

"Aye. I think I can help you there. Two ships, twice the odds." he says grinning at the thought of another nautical adventure with Nemo as Emma tries to smother her smile at his enthusiasm.

"Okay. Then, I think it makes sense to divide into two teams; the captains get the ink, the rest of us get the blood." Then she turns to the remaining heroes.

"Ideas?"

Zelena tilts her head and smirks at the saviour.

"Well, we three have magic and the rest of you have sharp, pointy things. I'm sure we can make it bleed." She says with her snide smile and twinkling eyes.

Emma wants to retort but settles for smirking back at the witch as the kraken roars again, making the ground shake.

"Good point. Okay, Zelena, you go with the Captains to get that ink and give them some magical backup, Regina, David, you're with me."

Zelena carefully hands baby Robin over to Snow, who smiles and walks away with Belle and Hope towards their house. Everyone starts to walk away towards their tasks, but Emma grabs Killian by the arm and pulls him in close for a long, lingering kiss.

"To be continued, Jones." She says with a smirk when she pulls away.

"Bloody right, it will be. But first, let's deal with the Crocodile so I can give you my full attentions." Killian says with a sexy grin full of promise and Emma tears herself away to follow Regina and David.

OOoOoOoOoOoOo

About an hour later, Emma finds herself standing on the top deck of the Nautilus, Nemo's submarine, with David and Regina. They wait to get close enough to the kraken for Regina to 'poof' them on top of it. Nemo's voice comes through a speaker on the metal wall of the sail, behind them.

"I can't get much closer or I won't make it away."

Regina answers him with a frown.

"Hopefully, this is close enough. Make sure my sister gets that ink."

"Good luck, Captain." Emma says as she takes Regina's hand and reaches for her father's.

"Godspeed, ladies and gentlemen." They hear over the speaker before they disappear in a cloud of purple smoke.

Emma stumbles slightly when her boots meet the slippery surface of the kraken's (she is assuming) head. She looks at Regina's disgusted face as she looks down and then to David's worried eyes, meeting hers.

They look out to see the Nautilus speeding backwards towards the Jolly Roger in the distance and Emma swallows around the hard lump in her throat.

"The Captains will be fine, Ms. Swan." Regina says as David places a comforting hand on Emma's shoulder. She takes a bolstering breath, trying to ignore the stench of rotten fish from the Kraken.

The creature is so huge that it hasn't even noticed the three humans standing on it and Emma takes a minute to assess the best way to go about getting the blood. After a few seconds, she frowns.

"Uh, is it just me or does this things skin look incredibly thick?" she asks with trepidation and Regina and David look down at their feet.

David takes out his sword and gently pokes the kraken's skin, slowly increasing the pressure until he's pushing down with most of his weight. He pulls the sword away and there isn't even a mark.

"Well, that's a problem." Regina states obviously.

"So, what do we do now?" David asks, but Emma is already scanning her gaze over the creature.

"There!" she says and points towards the front of the creature.

"I think it's an eye. Should be a fairly vascular area; if there's any sense to this thing." She says, causing the other two to look at her in surprise. She takes in their sceptical expression and shrugs.

"What? I like medical dramas."

David and Regina smirk at her and then frown suddenly, remembering their task.

"If that's where we need to stab it, we are going to have to get out of here in a _big_ hurry; it's going to see us." David assesses and Emma turns to Regina.

"That's where you come in. David can stab it, I'll fill the vials with blood, Regina, you get us out of here the second I'm done."

Regina nods in agreement and the three start walking towards the kraken's eye, even as the kraken itself creeps closer to the ships in the distance.

It takes several minutes of careful walking over the slippery skin for them to get close to the kraken's massive eye and they pause, a few feet away from it.

"Ready?" Emma asks quickly and Regina and David nod tightly.

David takes a deep breath and breaks into a run, Emma on his heels and Regina not far behind.

Taking a giant leap, just before reaching the eye, David plunges his sword deep into the creature's eye socket and Emma stumbles slightly as the kraken jerks and roars. Dark green blood sprays out from the wound and Emma slides forward on her knees with two vials open to catch the precious liquid.

David yanks his sword back and more blood pours out. Emma scrambles to fill the vials amidst the blood spraying all over them.

"Regina!" she screams when the vials are filled and Regina rushes forward, turning her head away from the spraying blood, to grip father and daughter by the arm and get them away.

Regina's eyes grow large after a moment and Emma and David turn to look at her expectantly.

"It's not working!" she screams over another deafening roar from the kraken.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I think it has taken the bait." Nemo's voice says from the speaker magically rigged up near the helm of the Jolly Roger. Killian raises an eyebrow at it but holds the red button and speaks back.

"Splendid. Now let's keep it at bay until Emma can get that blood." He says before concentrating back on steering the ship into the path of the kraken, but still out of its reach.

The kraken stops moving towards them suddenly and lets out a horrible bellow, making a chill run down Killian's spine.

"Emma…" he mutters under his breath, hoping that she is alright. He fumbles in his jacket for his spyglass and holds it up to see what's happening before he leans over to press the red button of the speaker.

"I can see something spraying out of the kraken, the three of them should be back any moment." He says, praying he's right. But after several minutes without them appearing on the deck of the Jolly Roger, as planned, Killian starts to get a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He steels his expression and turns the Jolly closer into the path of the kraken.

"Jones! What are you doing? You're getting too close!" Nemo shouts over the speaker but Killian ignores him as he steers his ship towards Emma.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I think it's the blood. It's blocking my magic." Regina says as she wobbles on her feet.

"LOOK OUT!" David shouts as a giant tentacle come whipping through the air towards them and they all drop to their stomachs to avoid it. Emma loses purchase on the slippery surface and starts sliding down towards the front of the kraken.

"Emma!" David yells as he reaches out to grab her hand and misses it by millimetres. He watches in horror as Emma slides past the kraken's ruined eye and disappears off the front of the kraken's head.

Suddenly, Regina grabs David's hand and pushes them forward, along the same path Emma had just gone.

"Wha?!"

"Trust me!" she screams to him as they slide off the front of the kraken and fall several metres into the water below.

David and Regina manage to swim to the surface, avoiding a searching tentacle, to break the surface.

"Regina?" David calls and she makes her way over to him before turning to scan the area.

"Do you see Emma? Most of the blood has washed off of us, so I think I can get us out of here, if we can find her."

David's eye's focus on something over Regina's head and he pales.

"EMMA!"

Regina twirls around in the water to see a clearly unconscious Emma dangling from a tentacle wrapped tightly around her chest. David, having lost his sword in the fall, bobs in the water, clumsily grabbing for the dagger in his boot before swimming hastily towards Emma.

Regina uses a bit of magic to propel David through the water faster and he sinks his dagger into the softer flesh of the kraken's tentacle, causing it to slacken around Emma. He reaches out and grips Emma's arm and with some magical help from Regina, he manages to pull her sleeping form from the kraken's grasp.

Regina swims towards them as fast as she can but before she can reach them a familiar shadow falls and she looks up to see a rope, with a white circle at the end, fly over her from the deck of the Jolly Roger.

The kraken is swooping its tentacles around under the water, searching blindly for its lost prey as Killian pulls David and Emma from the water and Regina grabs hold of the rope ladder draped over the side of the ship.

As soon as Regina is over the railing, she flops onto her back and yells at Killian.

"Get us out of here, Captain!"

"With pleasure." He saying as he sprints back up to the helm after quickly checking that Emma is breathing.

Killian has a fearful eye on the kraken as it starts to turn its body and its undamaged eye, towards them. He wrenches the wheel and turns the ship to keep it in the creature's blind spot but his heart stops when a tentacle comes up and brushes against the hull of the ship.

The kraken lets out a horrifying battle cry as the water around them starts to turn black with ink. Several tentacles rise up from the black depths to wrap around the pirate ship and Killian looks down to the deck, at his wife, with sorrowful eyes.

Regina and David look up with wide eyes at the tentacles towering over the ship, about to smash them to splinters, but a harpoon comes whizzing past the Jolly Roger's sails to imbed its self in the kraken's undamaged eye, causing all of its tentacles to recoil with another howling roar.

"Time for that race, Jones. Get the hell out of here!" says Nemo's booming voice over the speaker and Killian wastes no time in doing just that as the Nautilus turns to come up alongside the Jolly Roger, opening up its cannon hatches to provide cover fire.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Emma starts regaining consciousness as the Jolly Roger pulls up to the docks of Atlantis. With the kraken roaring in anger and pain in the distance, the heroes waste no time disembarking. Killian slides an arm under Emma's to help her walk down the gangplank to meet the others on the docks.

"Did we get it? Did we win?" they hear Snow ask as she comes running up, holding baby Robin.

Zelena steps into her path to take her daughter before they turn expectantly to Emma.

Emma immediately slaps a hand lightly onto her hip and sighs with relief as she pulls the two small vials of murky green blood from the wet pocket of her jeans.

"I stuffed them in there before I fell. What about the ink?" she asks, looking to Nemo and Zelena. Nemo holds up the two vials of ink and everyone breathes easier.

The kraken gives sounds another howl and Emma tries to straighten herself, giving Killian a nod to say that she is okay. He stubbornly keeps a hold of her hand and she just smiles at him in response.

"I can't believe we did that." She says with a small giggle and several people raise an eyebrow at her, suspecting a concussion.

"I can't believe we aren't all dead." Nemo says with a charming smile at Regina. She grudgingly smirks back at him.

"We aren't finished yet. There's still the Dark One to reign in before we can all relax." She says with as queenly an air as she can manage while she is still soaking wet.

"Right, let's go bag us a Dark One." Emma says with another uncharacteristic giggle and she takes a step forward only to wobble and end up back in Killian's arms.

"Darling, you know I love it when you fall for me, but we _are_ wed now." He says with an amused chuckle as he holds her up.

"Sorry, Saviour, but I think you're benched for this one." Regina says to Emma before she turns to Belle, standing behind Snow.

"I think I'll need the bookworm and the witch for this one." She says, raising a brow at her sister.

"Oh, bollocks." Zelena mutters with a roll of her eyes and turns to Snow to start returning baby Robin into her arms again.

Belle steps hesitantly forward and carefully moves Hope into David's waiting arms with a whisper of kisses over her brow. She turns to Regina with a new resolve.

"What do you need me to do?"

Regina looks down at the petite woman and gives her a sad smile.

"I need you to betray your husband."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Emma is sitting cross-legged on the living room floor of their Atlantean house, playing with Hope and Robin as Snow, David and Killian sit nearby, watching Emma with half-amused, half-worried expressions.

"She'll be fine." Snow says, trying to convince herself.

"Not much you can do for a concussion other than take it easy, right?" she asks with a falsely cheery tone as Emma grins darkly and starts crawling towards Killian on her hands and knees. She crawls almost completely into his lap before taking his hands and pulling him down to the floor with the her and the babies.

"Come on. You can get more practice." Emma says with a wild giggle and Killian can't help but laugh with her.

"WHAT?!" David yells a bit louder than he intended and everyone looks at him with shock before both babies start wailing.

"Emma, are you…" he blurts out as Snow gives him an incredulous glare and kneels to pick up a tearful Robin. Killian looks over to see Hope's up-raised arms and tear-stained face and scoops her up as he stands.

Emma glares angrily at her father from the floor and David's face is starts to turn pink.

"Sorry, I was just a bit t—You're not, though, right?" he rambles out.

Emma just glares and Killian bounces a now smiling Hope in his arms.

"Smooth, mate."

"David! That is none of our business!" Snow angrily chastises her husband but no one misses her furtive glance to Emma's stomach.

"I should have gone with Regina to fight Gold." Emma whines dramatically while still managing to glare at her father.

"We did just fine without you." Regina says as she sashays into the room with a grin, breaking the tense stand-off between Emma and David.

"You did it?" Emma asks excitedly from the floor.

"Yes. Nemo is loading Rumpelstiltskin onto the Jolly Roger as we speak and Belle is with him." She says with a satisfied smile at her sister who walks in behind Regina. Snow gives Robin one more cuddle and hands her back to her mother before asking.

"How is Belle?" She asks worriedly and Regina pauses to frown.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose. I'll let you talk to her yourself." And Snow nods, sadly.

"So, what happened?" Emma asks impatiently as she stays sprawled on the floor.

"Plato told us that we would find Gold beneath the central acropolis and so Zelena and I went in with magical guns blazing to find him siphoning the magic out of a giant swirling magic ball that floats in mid-air. Zelena and I barely managed to keep Gold distracted so that Belle could slip in and creep closer to him. There was a lot of that nasty banter going back and forth and I must say, he was being particularly nasty this time."

Zelena nods in agreement and picks up the narrative.

"By then Belle was getting quite close to him and he spun around when he sensed her there, but he was too late. She was within arm's reach by then and he had no idea that the pretty gloves on her hands were covered in kraken ink. All that magic that he painstakingly sucked out of Atlantis went flying out of him and he was frozen to the spot with a rather entertaining look of shock on his face." She says with a hint of glee.

"Wow… just… wow!" Emma says and the others nod at her assessment.

Regina brushes the dust off her pantsuit and smiles patronizingly at everyone.

"Now, that we are all up to date, I think we need to make our arrangements and say our goodbyes since the kraken won't actually retreat until we take Rumple out of Atlantis. Emma, could I have a word in private?" she says in a commanding voice and then beckons Emma closer.

Emma gets up, with Killian's helping hand, and wobbles closer.

Regina tilts her head suddenly at Emma and with a sigh, waves a hand over Emma's head, healing her concussion in an instant.

"Wow, why didn't I think of that." Emma says, shaking the fog from her head.

"Because you had a concussion." Regina says with a supressed roll of her eyes before looking suddenly nervous.

"I wanted to ask you a favour."

"Of course. What's up?" Emma says in a friendly voice.

"Would you come with me to the Enchanted Forest ask Little John if he would allow Roland to come live with me in Storybrooke?" she says in a fast ramble before looking worriedly into Emma's eyes.

Taken aback for a moment, Emma blinks several times and then smiles widely.

"That is an amazing idea Regina. I think you and Roland would be very good for each other." She says and then hugs her friend tightly.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Atlantean Docks_

Emma, Killian and Regina watch the Jolly Roger sail smoothly out to sea, towards the swirling portal and slip over the edge just before the portal snaps shut.

Killian gives an uncomfortable sigh and scowls at the spot where his ship disappeared.

"Nemo will take good care of your ship, babe." Emma says, looping her arm through his and kissing his cheek, making him smirk despite himself.

They, with all the rest of the gathered Atlantean's, turn to watch the kraken suddenly duck below the surface of the water and disappear, sending a huge wave to pound the beaches of Atlantis.

"I really hope I never see one of those again." Emma says with an agreeing smile from Regina before she turns to Plato, Socrates and Delphi, to start her goodbyes.

After several rounds of hugs and well-wishes, Emma takes Killian's hand and turns to Regina to hand her a magic bean from her satchel.

"After you, your Majesty." She says with a big smile and Regina nervously takes the bean and tosses it on the ground before reaching to take Emma's hand. With one last look at Atlantis, the princess, the queen and the pirate, jump into the portal.

The three of them come rolling out of the portal, onto the grass of the Enchanted Forest. They all stand and brush themselves off before looking around to get their bearings. They have landed only a few yards from Robin's old camp and Emma grins when she hears the high-pitched squeal of a small, excited boy.

"Roland!" Regina exclaims as the boy comes barrelling towards her and leaps into her arms.

"You came!" the little boy says as he hugs Regina tightly around the neck.

"Of course, I came." She says as tears well in her eyes and she holds him so tight.

Emma leans against Killian's chest with a watery smile as she watches the touching reunion. Killian wraps his arms around Emma and nods to Little John with a smile when he makes his way over to them.

"Looks like we're having a party tonight." Little John says as he claps Killian on the back in welcome.

"How are ya, ya dirty pirate?" he asks with a laugh and Emma turns with a mock-angry expression as she plants her fists on her hips.

"Hey. Watch how you address my husband." She says, ruining the effect with her big smile but relishing the shocked expression on John's face. Killian laughs and swoops an arm out to pull Emma in for a quick kiss before draping an arm over her shoulders and turning back to a grinning John.

"Looks like we're having a _big_ party tonight!" he says with a laugh and motions for everyone to follow him back to camp.

All night the ale flows around the campsite and the bonfire burns as friends drink and laugh. Emma and Killian join in the revelry and in short order are quite drunk and holding each other up.

Regina sits talking with Roland until his bedtime and then helps Little John tuck him into bed.

"I was hoping to speak to you about Roland, John." Regina says as they walk back to the drunken party.

"Of course, your Majesty." Little John says a bit stiffly and Regina smiles awkwardly at him.

"You can just call me Regina."

He nods at her and relaxes slightly.

"I'm just going to ask you, plainly." She says, stopping to face him, trying to word her request carefully.

"I'm hoping you will allow Roland to come stay with me for a while." She blurts out and then nervously darts a glance at Little John's face.

The big man smiles and breathes a sigh of relief.

"I was hoping you would say that." And Regina is so overcome with joy that she lunges forward to hug John, taking them both by surprise. She rears back after a moment and smiles apologetically.

"Sorry." And John chuckles as they continue walking, stopping at the edge of the party when Regina halts again.

"I think I will retire as well, actually." Regina says, looking over at a drunken Emma and Killian with distaste.

"We can suss the details about Roland in the morning. Sleep well, Regina." John says with a small bow and Regina smiles genuinely at him before turning away.

Emma feels so light and happy that she doesn't want to overthink it too much. Killian and Emma keep having drinks thrust into their hands by well-meaning friends and the world is starting to spin. Emma plunks herself down on a wooden log and then laughs as she slides off the log to the grass. She lies down on the soft grass, laughing at the swirling stars in the sky. Killian's face appears amongst the stars suddenly and Emma laughs harder as he kisses her quickly and lies down beside her.

That is the last thing Emma remembers before she wakes up to the sun coming up over the trees and setting off a throbbing in her head. She slowly becomes more aware and realizes that her pillow is a snoring Killian's arm and his long leather jacket is covering them like a blanket.

Emma smiles to herself and snuggles back into Killian's arm for a moment before lifting a hand to magically cure her massive hangover and then brushing her fingertips over Kilian's temple to cure his. She watches his lips curve into a smile and pulls herself up and over him to kiss them lightly.

His hand comes up to stroke her jaw as he draws out the kiss and then smiles up at her when she pulls away.

"A man could get used to being woken this way, Love." He says as he curls his arms behind his head and grins saucily.

"Shame we aren't alone." He whispers with a sexy arch of his brow.

Emma leans in close and whispers back.

"A real shame. Considering this is technically our wedding bed and that was technically our wedding night." Emma says with a teasing grin.

Killian's eyes go wide and he jerks upright, rolling Emma onto her back and getting on top of her.

"Well, everyone will just have to forgive us and look away as we make this marriage official." He says teasingly as he starts tickling Emma.

Emma is overcome with uncontrollable giggles as Killian pins her under him and tickles her mercilessly.

"Its bad form to laugh at a man on his wedding bed, Swan." He says with a chuckle and then he rolls off her to stand and holds a hand out for her with a sexy grin. Pulling Emma to her feet, they wander into the camp again to join the others for some good-natured ribbing and some breakfast.

On the way to breakfast, they find Regina laughing with Roland as she helps him pack his belongings into a large rucksack.

"Looks like we are going home with a few extras." Emma says with a smile at the Queen and the beaming little boy.

"I'm going to stay with Gina and my sister for a while!" Roland exclaims loudly and Emma smirks at the boy who is almost shaking with excitement. She gets down on her knees to grin back at Roland.

"Well, we better have some breakfast so we can get going back to Storybrooke, then." She says and Roland starts jumping up and down.

"Yaaaaaaaaa"


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N Okay, my lovelies. One more chapter to go to wrap things up but I had to include the post-wedding smut-fest. Haha Enjoy!**

 **And thank you all for all the comments! They really encourage and inspire me! Cheers!**

 **Chapter Thirty-Five**

 _Main Street, Storybrooke_

It took most of the day to pack up Roland and Little John's things and say goodbye to everyone in the Enchanted Forest. It is dusk before Emma, Killian, Regina, Roland and John fall through the portal in the middle of main street, Storybrooke.

They are instantly helped to their feet by a waiting crowd of townspeople and Emma looks around in confused amusement. There are fairy lights and lanterns strung between the lampposts, over the street and it seems like the entire town is dressed up and present for their arrival.

"They're here!" Emma hears Snow exclaim before she seems to appear from nowhere at Emma's side.

"Mom, what is going on?" Emma asks with a laugh and her mother beams at her.

"Well, you had a surprise wedding, and we really didn't get around to having a reception in Atlantis soooo… we are throwing you a surprise reception!" she says, throwing her arms out with a proud giggle before hugging Emma tightly. David walks up behind his wife and looks at Emma with a knowing look as he attempts to extricate Snow from Emma.

"Your mother insisted." He says with a smile and steers his wife towards the buffet table set up in front of Granny's Diner, claiming a problem with the punch.

Emma stands in amused shock, in the middle of main street, not knowing exactly what she should do. She watches Roland pull Regina away towards the food and Little John wanders over to mingle with friends he hasn't seen in a long time. Emma feels Killian's arms come around her and his stubble tickle her ear.

"Another party. Wonderful. Just what I wanted to do with my new bride upon returning home." He murmurs in a slightly annoyed, but resigned tone and Emma laughs before stepping out of his embrace to turn and face him.

"You and me both." She says with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"But it does give me an excuse to wear my pretty dress again."

Emma slowly waves a hand over herself and her beautiful, dusty blue wedding gown appears over her body. A collective sigh goes around the suddenly hushed Storybrooke crowd while they watch Emma flick her wrist towards Killian. He stands grinning at her in his handsome wedding clothes and then takes her hand with a small bow.

From the corner of her eye, Emma sees Regina wave a hand towards them and suddenly, soft music drifts around them. Regina turns back to Roland as a grinning Emma steps into Killian's embrace and begins their first dance as husband and wife. She dances and dances until she pulls Killian over to sit on the chairs lining the street, so she can catch her breath.

Ruby comes hurrying over with two glasses of wine for them and then sits down to chat with Emma for ages, fawning over her dress and wanting every detail of the wedding ceremony. Killian excuses himself to hunt up some rum, but before he can walk away, Emma pulls him down to whisper in his ear.

"Go easy on the rum, Captain. I have no intention of passing out on the grass tonight." She says and takes a nibble of his earlobe for good measure. Killian's eyes darken as they meet Emma's and he keeps his voice low.

"I have no intention of that either, _Mrs._ Swan." And his voice sends a shiver running down Emma's spine.

Ruby jumps up from her seat beside Emma, after a while, to check on the buffet table with Granny and several more people come to take her place to chat with Emma before Snow elbows her way through to take Emma's hand and pull her away for a private word.

Emma walks a few yards away, towards the beach, arm linked with her mother's.

"I remember my wedding night, Emma." Snow says finally and Emma gives her a trepidatious look as she waits to see where her mother is going with this. They continue to stroll at a lazy pace until Snow stops to face the party from several yards away and watches for a moment.

"It seemed like our reception was _hours_ of tedious small talk and smiling politely. When David and I finally got to be alone, we were so exhausted that we fell asleep in our wedding clothes." Snow turns to face Emma with a nostalgic chuckle.

"I think your social obligation is fulfilled, Emma. You should go find Killian and sneak away."

Emma bursts out laughing and it takes a moment before she can respond.

"What?!" she asks with an incredulous laugh and Snow starts to explain.

"I spoke to Belle and she has offered you and Killian the use of Grumpy's old sailboat. I stocked the boat with food and necessities, and put fresh sheets on the bed and your father and Henry cleaned it up a bit. Henry is staying with Regina this week to help Roland settle in so you have the entire week to sail around by yourselves."

Emma holds her mother's hand's and when she finishes laughing she hugs her quickly.

"You've just thought of everything, haven't you?" she says and then Emma's smile starts turning to happy tears.

"Thank you, Mom. Really, for everything. Thank you." With one more laughing hug, Snow sends Emma away to find Killian.

No one objects when Emma excuses Killian from a circle of men talking about fishing, to pull him away down a back alley towards the docks. When they are out of sight of the party, she stops to turn to her husband and smile.

"I'm stealing you away." And then a knowing grin spreads across Killian's face.

"Just who's the pirate here, Love?" he asks and she grabs a handful of her dress in one hand and his hand in the other as she starts running towards the docks, laughing the whole way.

Killian spins Emma around with a sharp jerk of her arm at the edge of the dock and kisses her breathless as he tries backing her up towards the gangplank of the Jolly Roger, floating nearby.

Emma stops his progress with a hand on his chest and then tears her lips from his with a sigh.

"I'm not kidnapping you on your own ship." She says and gives a short laugh at his confused expression before she steps a few feet backwards and pulls him by the hand towards the small sailboat tied up on the other side of the dock. Still confused, but intrigued, Killian lets Emma lead him on board the modern vessel.

"Are we stealing a boat, Swan? Your pirate antics have no bounds it seems." He says with a distinct glimmer of pride in his eyes.

"Not stealing. It was offered by Belle, cleaned up by my father and Henry and fully stocked by my mother for us to use for the next week."

Emma spins around, holding out her arms to show him the boat.

"What do you think?" she asks with a saucy grin as she drops her hands to her hips.

Killian swaggers closer with his most pirate-y look and a raises an eyebrow at her as he taps his bottom lip with his thumb. He steps in close and smooths his hands over Emma's hips, tugging her closer to bring her body flush against his.

"I think we'd better get this boat out to sea far enough so the whole town won't hear when I make you scream." He rumbles in her ear.

"Better get sailing then, Captain." Emma says in a sultry voice as she pulls back from Killian with a smile and unzips the back of her voluminous dress, holding his eyes, as it drops to her feet. She is standing in the middle of the deck completely naked except for her silver heels and Killian's heart stops. He staggers back a step as he stares at his wife for a long while. When he recovers slightly, Killian narrows his eyes at Emma with a predatory look.

"Had I known that you were naked under that dress, Love, I would have made quite the scene when I tore it from your body and took you right there on main street; people and party be damned." He says darkly and Emma shivers at the thought while Killian stalks her across the deck.

She steps out of the dress pooled at her feet as Killian reaches her again and she melts into him as he bends to give her a scorching kiss. Emma pulls away and steps back towards the sliding glass door leading to the cabin.

"I'm gonna get out of the cold. Don't take too long, Killian. I don't want to have to start without you." She says with a mock pout as she backs away, below deck, pausing only to scoop up her discarded dress.

After a deep, steadying breath, Killian whips around and rips off his jacket, throwing it aside as he takes stock of their new vessel.

"Get this boat moving Jones." He mumbles to himself as he jumps onto the dock, to untie and toss the ropes onto the boat before jumping back on board and hauling himself up by a rope to raise the sails and get the blasted boat moving.

Thirty minutes later, Killian drops down to the deck and slides the glass door open to find Emma sprawled naked on her stomach, across the large bed at the bow of the boat. She is holding a half-filled glass of wine in one hand and a chocolate-covered strawberry with a bite taken out of it, in the other. She looks up when he enters the room and smiles guiltily at him.

"I may have started without you." She says with a laugh as she rolls over from her stomach to her back and sits up to offer him the glass of wine and the strawberry. Killian comes forward with a dark grin, making a 'tsk' sound, wearing his best chastising expression.

"Naughty girl. You may need to be properly reprimanded for your indiscretion later, darling." He says as he slowly saunters to the edge of the bed to look his fill of his beautiful naked wife lying across the bed. He plucks the glass from her hand and downs the wine in two gulps before placing the glass on the floor and lightly gripping Emma's wrist to hold it steady while he takes a big bite from the strawberry in her hand.

"Now, if there are no further interruptions or crises, I am going to take my time and finally make love to my _wife_." He says as he loosens the cuffs of his shirt and continues to let his eyes wander over her body.

Emma suddenly lunges forward to kneel on the bed in front of him and press a sweet, lingering kiss to his lips as her arms slide around his neck.

"You are wearing _far_ too many clothes, sailor." Emma says as she toys with the top button of his shirt. She falls back onto the bed with a bounce and a laugh, and then licks her bottom lip hungrily as she watches Killian remove his shirt by pulling it over his head, kick off his boots and then whip open his belt buckle and the buttons of his trousers. With a quick bend and kick, Killian is naked before her and Emma sighs with happiness as she opens her arms to him.

Killian wastes no time as he kneels over Emma's body until he is close enough to feel her breath on his neck.

A small part of his brain is still in wonder at the fact that Emma really married _him_ and she is his _wife_! and he gets to keep her _forever,_ and how the hell did he manage _that_?! And why the _blazes_ is he suddenly nervous? He's had Emma in every position and location possible, what is wrong with him? _Focus, man, focus_!

He busies himself with mapping every inch of her soft, smooth skin with his hands and hunting the source of her intoxicating scent of vanilla mixed with something spicy and wild that he can never place, but drives him wild with every breath.

"Killian." She says in a breathless whisper and he looks up into Emma's glittering emerald eyes.

Killian's nervousness evaporates instantly and he flashes Emma a dimple as the side of his mouth turns up in a smirk before leaning down to capture her lips with his, in a ravishing kiss. His hands come up to frame Emma's face and stroke her temples with his thumbs as he relishes the feel of her lips sliding over his. Her tongue runs along the seam of his lips, begging for entrance and he opens to her, sighing with absolute contentment.

Threading his fingers through her curls, Killian moves his mouth to Emma's jaw and then to her ear to gently suck on it, making Emma inhale sharply and close her eyes. Slowly licking a wet trail down her throat, Killian pauses to suck on her pulse point and then draws his lips down to her collarbone.

Killian's concentration is starting to waver as Emma starts to arch her hips up against him and his heartrate kicks up a notch. Emma's fingers are running through his hair and down his neck to dig into the muscle of his shoulders as his teeth bite down lightly on her collarbone before he moves down to lick at the valley between her breasts.

Killian's hands are slowly working their way down Emma's body, caressing her jaw, tracing the column of her throat, trailing softly down the inside of her arms to splay across her ribcage and hold her in place so he can lave attention on her with his mouth.

Emma's every nerve ending is screaming out for Killian's touch and she is having trouble forming cohesive thoughts other than her carnal desires so she stops trying. Her body takes over from her mind and she can only feel and want. Killian is already driving her mad before his mouth closes over her nipple and Emma almost loses herself as she moans loudly.

He palms one breast as he lovingly nibbles on the other, all the while losing his mind at the sensation of Emma's slick heat leaving her wetness down the length of him. She pauses and Killian takes the opportunity to slide down her body more and leave a path of open-mouthed kisses across her stomach and bring his hands down to pin her hips solidly to the bed.

When Emma realises Killian's intended destination, her eyes fly open with another moan and she wantonly opens her thighs wider.

Killian smiles against her skin and looks up to send her a sexy wink before kissing the inside of her hip and making her sigh with anticipation. His hands start drifting down to caress up and down the inside of her thighs before he kisses down the crease between her leg and her mound.

Without warning, Killian leans forward to suck Emma's clit into his mouth and Emma arches up from the bed with a scream as her hands slam down to grip the bed sheets. He moves his mouth away from her clit as quickly as he took it and then settles in to very gently lap at her slick folds.

Emma is moaning and writhing for what seems like hours as Killian slowly builds the heat inside her to a boiling point. She is panting harshly and every muscle in her body tensed when he slips two long fingers inside her and pauses before pulling them slowly back out. Emma arches and a groan tears from her throat as Killian pushes his fingers back into her wet heat and continues to drive her into mindless ecstasy.

"Killian!" she strangles out when Killian curls his fingers deep inside her and he sucks hard on her clit, sending Emma screaming over the edge of orgasm, praising his name over and over. Killian tenderly licks around her throbbing bundle of nerves while she comes down from her climax and he gently slips his fingers from her, licking them clean.

Killian continues to kiss all around her nether regions as if he doesn't want to stop but Emma reaches down to tap a finger under his chin and he looks up at her with a smug grin.

"Get up here." She says in a sexy purr and Killian is helpless to resist her so he crawls up her body.

Emma's breathing has not quite returned to normal but she holds Killian's jaw with both hands and tilts her head to lick her own release from his lips before sinking into a deep kiss.

"Mmm have I told you how amazing you taste, Love?" he asks as he winds a stray curl around his finger. Emma's green eyes darken as she nudges his shoulder to push him off her and he obliges, rolling to lay on his back and cushion his head with his hands as he looks up at Emma. She retraces the same path down Killian's body that he took on hers, pausing to scrape her nails down his chest, through his dark chest hair and take a good nip out of his hard stomach.

"I'm not sure I remember your exact flavour, Captain. I'd better reacquaint myself with _your_ taste." She says with glittering eyes, making Killian chuckle as he watches her slip down his body with a big smile. She nibbles a trail across his hips as her hands precede her mouth to his quivering erection.

Killian inhales roughly as Emma's hand wraps around his length and sets a torturously slow pace stroking him up and down. Her mouth meets her hand and she presses small kisses from his base to the tip. Knowing it really makes him wild, she holds his eyes as she opens her mouth and sucks the head of his cock into her mouth.

Killian knew it was coming but he can't hold back his gasp as he watches his cock disappear between Emma's perfectly swollen lips and then feels his tip bump against the back of her throat. He moans through gritted teeth but forces his eyes open to watch every second of Emma's loving.

"That feels truly amazing, Love." He murmurs as she moans around his length with pleasure. The vibrations send sparks of sensation shooting up his spine and Killian groans louder.

Emma slides the rough part of her tongue back and forth over the super sensitive spot on the underside of his tip and then glances up to watch as Killian tries in vain to stop his eyes from rolling back in his head when she runs her short fingernails lightly over his balls.

"Gods, Emma. If you keep that up, we are going to end up taking an unscheduled break from all this." He says in warning as he feels his climax building already.

Emma grins coyly at him and pops his cock out of her mouth for a moment.

"Well, we do need to have a dinner break at some point." She says, leaving a stunned look on Killian's face as she engulfs his member once more. Killian watches Emma start rising and falling faster and faster on his cock and he is nearing the end very quickly.

"Emmaaa…" he moans out as a last warning before he starts thrusting up into her soft mouth. She sucks hard on him, hollowing her cheeks as she twists her head suddenly and presses her tongue down over his tip and Killian is lost.

He thrusts up into her one more time and his body jerks as he releases into her wicked mouth. Emma gulps twice and then reaches up to hold the base of him as she removes her mouth and starts licking and kissing him everywhere.

Killian is staring at Emma with a dazed look of disbelief as he pants harshly and runs a somewhat shaky hand through his black hair.

"Gods, Emma!" he finally manages as she wriggles up to lie beside him. Killian pulls her in for a sweet, languid kiss before they both lie back again to sigh contentedly.

"You taste pretty amazing too, babe." She says with a smug smile and Killian laughs as he pulls her in for another kiss, thinking to himself that it could not be possible to love this woman any more than he does.

A few minutes later, Killian insists that Emma stay curled up in their new love nest as he goes in search of food and drink. Standing naked in front of the refrigerator, he decides on the plate of sandwiches covered in cling wrap and carton of orange juice, mentally thanking his new mother-in-law.

Then he grins to himself at the term 'mother-in-law'.

Then he grins wider at the term 'father-in-law' and starts thinking up amusing new taunts for David.

Sandwich plate in one hand, juice carton in the other, Killian closes the fridge door with his foot and turns back towards Emma. On the way, a small, pink and white, striped giftbag on the counter catches his eye.

Frowning, he puts the juice down to investigate.

"Love? What's this?" he asks and he hears Emma chuckle from the bed.

"That is a special gift from Regina. She apparently snuck in to leave it for us during the party."

Killian opens the card attached to the giftbag and reads.

 _Enclosed are a few honey-moon treats that I didn't think your parents would think to leave for you._ _Enjoy._

 _-Regina_

Killian quirks a curious eyebrow at the note and goes to peek in the bag but Emma snatches it away with a smile and saunters back to the bed.

"That's for later. I'm hungry." She says but Killian knows he definitely glimpsed black lace and leather in there. He grabs the juice once more and follows Emma back to the bed, sitting the food between them, picnic-style.

A while later, Killian decides that naked picnics may just be his new favourite past time as they talk and touch and eat and laugh, but soon enough, the food is forgotten and ends up unceremoniously pushed off the bed to clatter on the floor as Emma decides their 'time out' is over.

She crawls into Killian's lap, straddling his legs as she kisses him deeply and twirls her fingers in his coarse chest hair, outlining the large compass rose tattoo with her finger. She squirms restlessly in his lap and Killian smirks against her lips as she tries to find some kind of friction against her dripping heat. While she is otherwise distracted, Killian reaches around her to tip over the giftbag from Regina, spilling its contents onto the bed. There is the confusing tangle of black lace and leather that he had seen earlier, but what grabs his attention is the two tiny vials of shimmering liquid that roll out of the bag; one blue, one gold.

Emma's head whips around at the sound of the clinking glass vials and she turns back to a grinning Killian.

"Still a pirate, Love." He says grinning as he picks up one of the tiny vials to examine it and Emma huffs in annoyed amusement.

The label across the vial of sparkly blue liquid simply says, 'Only ONE drop under his tongue for an hour of fun." And Killian's curiosity is piqued. He looks at Emma and shrugs as he pulls the stopper from the vial and tips his head back to drop the liquid under his tongue.

It tastes salty and sweet, he decides as he rolls the taste around in his mouth and pushes the stopper back into the vial. Emma is watching him intently and he notices that she is holding the golden coloured vial, unstoppered in her hand.

"Well I _was_ going to wait to try these this because I'm not exactly sure what they will do, but I guess we have nowhere to be." She says with a laugh before tipping her head back to put a drop of the golden liquid under her tongue. Emma brings her eyes back to meet Killian's and she blinks at the sudden change; his pupils are widely dilated and he she feels his erection pushing against her stomach already.

Emma feels a surge of pleasure run through her, shooting straight to her now-pulsing clit. Killian leans back slightly to brush his rock-hard cock against her pussy experimentally and they both gasp at the intense sensations and their instant readiness.

"Holy shit!" Emma groans and gingerly reaches out to hold Killian's cock at bay for a moment and look into his smiling eyes.

"Well this is interesting." Killian says with a devious glint in his eyes, as he grips Emma around the ribcage and lifts her small frame up and lowers her slowly down again, to impale her wet folds onto his cock.

"FUCK!" Emma screams as she claws at Killian's shoulders and starts climaxing around him. Killian holds Emma's hips tight and tumbles them both forward so that Emma is lying on her back and Killian gives her no chance to rest before setting a fast pace of hard thrusts, making her scream again and again as her orgasm seems to go on indefinitely and the lights of the cabin start to flicker.

In less than a minute, Killian begins tensing and he feels a massive wave of sensation break over him as he climaxes harder than ever before. He stops thrusting and nearly collapses on top of Emma, but manages to roll to her side. Emma grips Killian's arms and rolls with him to keep him locked inside of her, putting her back on top as Killian sprawls out beneath her with a goofy smile.

Emma wiggles her butt a little and grins down at him.

"I think we know what your potion does." She says and she rolls her hips forward to slide his still-hard cock out of her far enough to slam back down onto it.

Killian moans loudly and digs his fingers into Emma's hips, helping her ride him hard until he feels her inner walls tighten and spasm around him, causing another enormous wave of sensation to take him as the entire damn boat shakes under the force of Emma's uncontrollable orgasm.

One hour, and several intense orgasms later, Emma and Killian are breathless and covered in sweat as they collapse onto the upper deck of the sailboat, tangled in each other's arms near the bow. After a full minute of ragged breathing, Emma looks at Killian with raised eyebrows.

"Well, I think that covers every surface of _this_ boat. Anymore of that potion and we'll have to find another boat. Regina should market that stuff. Viagra's got _nothing_ on that potion."

Killian laughs heartily and then glances down his body.

"I think I'm finally spent for the time being, Love."

And then he drops his head back down on the deck and furrows his brow as he swallows hard.

"And incredibly parched." He says with a dry chuckle as he clumsily strokes at Emma's sweat-slicked hair.

Emma's eyes are closed as she lets the cool night breeze cool her heated skin but she smiles at him in the dark.

"I have a plan." She says as she flicks her wrist, making the carton of orange juice appear between them and Killian praises her and her magic as he sits up to chug down over half the carton before offering it to her.

"What is your plan, Darling?" he asks as she takes the juice from him and he flumps back down on the deck.

"Plan is: Drink. Nap. Swim. Snack. Repeat." She says, counting off each word on her fingers, and Killian laughs again.

"Perfect." He says in a dopey voice and when Emma is finished with the orange juice, he pulls her back down to cradle her in his arms and kiss her forehead lovingly.

"I love you, Emma Swan." He murmurs sleepily and she smiles into his chest.

"I love you so much, Killian Jones."

Emma and Killian let the sway of the boat lull them to sleep under the stars in seconds.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N Here it is my lovelies, the last chapter. It's fluffy and a little sad but worry not, I already have most of the Epilogue written and it's a wonderful fluffy happy ending!**

 **Thank you all so much for your comments and for just READING it at all.**

 **Cheers.**

 **Chapter Thirty-Six**

Henry is waiting for Emma and Killian on the front porch of their house when the newlyweds return from their impromptu honeymoon. They are walking up the front path to the house and Henry comes bounding down the steps to throw his arms around his mother in greeting.

"Welcome back, Mom!" He says with a huge 'Henry' grin and Emma tries not to have a mental freak out at the fact that her son seems to be taller than her and vaguely man-shaped. When had _that_ happened?

Henry pulls away from their hug and turns to Killian to give him the same, making his new step-father smile.

"Grama is inside with Neal, trying to sort all the gifts that people left while you were away."

Emma looks at Killian with a stunned expression that he returns with added confusion.

"Gifts? People left us gifts?" she asks her son as he escorts her the rest of the way to the house.

"Of course. Wedding presents." He answer with a smile and a roll of his eyes as they walk up the steps.

Killian interrupts Henry's explanation by taking Emma's hand from behind her and pulling her back to him before she enters the house.

"Sorry, lad. But I think there is one more wedding tradition that needs to be carried out here before once more heading into the breach of social obligation." He says, grinning as he leans down to sweep an unsuspecting Emma off her feet and into his arms.

Emma gives a squeal of delighted alarm and laughs at Killian's antics as he steps through the doorway to their home.

Snow turns to watch them from the couch with a happy smile on her face and Henry rolls his eyes again and heads to the kitchen, continuing his eternal quest for snacks.

Killian sets Emma back on her feet inside the door and pulls her back to him for a sweet lingering kiss before releasing her. They turn towards Snow and their grins drop at the sight of the large pile of brightly wrapped gifts, filling up the majority of floor space in their living room.

Snow stands to step over Neal, crawling over the small patch of free floor space, to embrace her daughter.

"Wha? What is all this?" Emma finally manages, after Snow releases her to hug Killian. She gestures around to all the gifts as she turns.

Snow keeps smiling as she explains.

"Well, the people of Storybrooke are grateful for everything you have done for them over the years and wanted a chance to thank you in some small way." She says matter-of-factly with a shrug at her daughter and a small chuckle.

Emma stands, trying to word a proper argument but Killian steps up to take her hand a kiss her knuckles lightly.

"Stop, Emma." He says, tilting his head to look directly into her eyes.

"You deserve all of this. And more." He says, holding her eyes until he sees her relent.

Emma sighs in defeat with a loving look at Killian before turning back to her mother.

"Okay. Well, I guess we'd better open these and then write out quite a few thank-you notes." She says, staring disbelievingly at the mountain of gifts as Snow scoops up Neal before he reaches the nearest pretty package.

"I have all the thank-you notes on the kitchen table and I have already started a list of names…" Snow starts rambling as she wanders around, explaining her method of organization for the gifts.

Killian shares an amused, helpless look with Emma before his gaze is snagged by something hidden in the gift pile.

"Oh ho! What is this?" he asks no one as he slips around Emma to pull a large bottle of expensive rum, sporting a sad little bow, from the pile.

Snow gives a laugh at Killian and Emma quirks an eyebrow.

"That is from Leroy and Wil Scarlet."

Killian furrows a brow and looks at Snow.

"You mean the dwarf and the drunkard that I punched in the face the night of our first date?" he asks with a confused chuckle, but Emma quirks her head in scrutiny at him.

"Wait. _You_ punched Wil in the face the night of our date?" she asks with narrowed eyes of accusation and Killian pauses, realizing his error.

"Ah, Well… yes, I did." He says and gives Emma his best charmingly apologetic smile as Emma tries to scowl at him but fails.

"That's why he wouldn't tell me who hit him. You were standing right behind me at the station." She says, putting the pieces together.

Killian grins at her and wraps her in his arms.

"Not to worry, Love. I _did_ make it up to him weeks later when I ran into him at the Rabbit Hole. I bought him a drink and we had a rather grand night talking about our travels and mis-deeds." Killian says to a resistant but smirking Emma.

Finally, Emma sighs and embraces Killian back.

"Fine. But you can write him a particularly nice thank you note."

Emma laughs at Killian's pained expression and pulls out of his arms to help her mother and Killian backs away to seek refuge in the kitchen with Henry.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Storybrooke Library_

A week after their honeymoon, things settled down a bit and Emma and Killian fell into a routine. Emma would leave early in the morning to drive to the Sheriff's Station and Killian would make breakfast for Henry and walk him to school before joining Belle and Hope at the library to help restack books and get lessons on the computer from Belle.

Belle arranged a 'storytime' on weekday mornings at the library for all the young children of Storybrooke and Killian would mind the stacks or settle down with a book as she read to the children. He sated his curiosity about his new world as he sorted the books and he found that he enjoyed it quite a bit.

Around noon, Killian would go to Granny's Diner and pick up lunch for Emma before heading to the station with coffee in hand.

"Lunch time, Love." Killian says as he sashays into the station and drops a paper bag on Emma's desk before handing her a coffee cup.

Emma smiles gratefully as she accepts the cup and takes a much-needed sip.

"Thanks. I needed that. How's your day going, babe?" she asks, as she stands from her chair to give her husband a hug and a sweet kiss of greeting.

"Fair." He says but his expression sobers.

"Belle is taking Hope to see her father today when you lot put him in his newly made prison cell and release him from the kraken's ink."

Emma's smile falters and she takes Killian's hand in silent support.

"The cell will be better than being paralysed forever and we can't just ignore all he has done and the fact that he shows no sign of stopping his scheming."

Killian puts a hand up in a defensive gesture.

"No need to convince me, Swan. I'm all for locking the Crocodile up." He says with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'm simply concerned about Belle and the little lass. Belle is not coping well with her betrayal of Gold and like the rest of us, she is wondering on the fate of her tragically flawed husband."

Killian walks in close to put his arms around Emma and she drops her head to his shoulder as they both sigh unhappily at the giant problem that is Rumpelstiltskin.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Rumplestiltskin's New Prison Cell, Under the Town Hall_

Killian and David carry a frozen Rumple into the new cell and lay him on the floor before backing out again. Regina then raises the bars of the cell, coated with kraken ink, and raises the magical barriers.

Emma is magically hovering a cloth dipped in kraken blood in front of her and when Regina gives her the signal, she floats the cloth through the prison bars and drapes it over Rumple's arm.

Everyone waits tensely for some sign that the blood has successfully undone the paralysis of the kraken ink and they all take a collective breath when Rumple starts moving his hand and a few minutes later, after the blood has finished working, Rumple stands to face the assembled heroes.

"Well, that's it then, is it? Just going to lock me up and throw away the key?" he says, words dripping with venom but no one answers him until Belle steps out from behind Killian and walks towards her husband with Hope in her arms and tears running down her face.

She stares at Rumple for a full minute before she speaks to him.

"I think you need to be in there, Rumple. We have all trusted you, time and time again, and you have always either failed us or betrayed us outright."

Rumple staggers back at Belle's words but doesn't say anything.

"I am sorry it came to this, Rumple, but you brought this on yourself." Belle is struggling to get the words out now and Regina elbows David and silently motions towards the exit, in an attempt to give Belle some privacy. Regina, David and Snow all make a silent retreat, leaving Emma and Killian with Belle.

Belle takes a moment and hands Hope over to Emma, who gives her a sad smile and takes Hope and follows the others out, to wait for her Belle. Killian crosses his arms and stubbornly refuses to leave but he does back away a few steps to give Belle some feigned privacy.

Belle takes a steadying breath and turns back to her husband.

"I've made a decision, Rumple. I've decided that Hope and I both deserve someone in our lives that will choose us over their own selfish gains. I know you love us in your own way but you have proven so many times that your love for us comes second to your love for power."

Rumple seems to collapse in on himself as he backs away from the bars and falls to the ground.

"Belle…" he pleads in a strangled voice. "I can change."

But Belle shakes her head sadly as she fights back more tears.

"I don't believe you anymore Rumple."

She says in a small voice and then whirls around to leave, nearly running into Killian's arms and sobbing as he helps her towards the exit.

Rumpelstiltskin sits on the floor of his prison cell facing the reality that his happy ending just walked away from him.

And it was his own doing.


	37. Epilogue

**A/N Here's the super happy ending that I think all fairy tales should have.**

 **Enjoy! Cheers.**

 **Epilogue**

 _Swan/Jones_ _Home, Two Years Later_

"Swan?! What the bloody hell _is_ this rubbish?!"

Emma sighs to herself from where she is finishing up her coffee in the kitchen, stands from the table and turns to poke her head around the corner to the living room, laughing inwardly at her husband's expression as he stares at the television.

"I told you not to watch that with him." She says, shaking her head at the man sitting on the floor with a tiny, black-haired toddler sitting in his lap, watching 'Jake and the Neverland Pirates' with a disgusted look on his handsome face.

Emma holds her largely rounded stomach as she smothers a laugh.

"It's a kid's show, babe. It's meant to teach them to share and count. I don't think they care much about the authenticity of the pirates."

Killian turns his face to Emma and then she can't stop the laugh from bubbling up.

Killian's sour expression narrows in on Emma and he carefully moves the protesting toddler from his lap to stalk her across the room. She lets out a loud laugh as Killian easily catches her waddling retreat and slides his hands over her extended stomach to lightly grip her hips, pulling her as close as he can her with their growing child between them.

Killian leans in and kisses Emma passionately before he feels a small tug on his pant leg and looks down to smile at their son, Tosh.

"Dada." The small boy says insistently with a pout as he points at the TV. Killian smiles at him and sighs as he lets the toddler lead him by the hand back to their place on the floor to watch cartoons.

Emma grins at him.

"Later, pirate." She says with sexy wink before disappearing back into the kitchen to finish her coffee, leaving Killian with a saucy grin.

"Oh, don't forget, we are going to Regina's tonight for Christmas dinner. Henry's home and he's bringing Violet." She yells from her place at the kitchen table.

"Gold piece says they announce they're planning on moving in together." She hears him mumble in an amused tone and Emma's eyes go wide. She marches, as fast as she can, back into the living room.

"Killian Jones, what do you know?!" she demands and he turns to see a scowling Emma, hands planted firmly on her hips.

"Nothing." Killian says quickly and Emma simply raises an eyebrow at him, calling his bluff.

With a resigning huff, Killian moves Tosh off his lap again to stand and face his wife.

"You know, I used to be a decent liar before I met you." He says without sting and Emma just waits.

"Alright. Henry confided in me at the beginning of the year, when I was helping him move into his dormitory."

Emma is aghast and her mouth pops open slightly.

"What did he say?"

"He said that he and Violet had agreed to live apart for one year of their schooling and then the next year they were planning on finding more… appealing accommodations." He finishes with a knowing smirk at Emma's panicked expression as he wraps his arms around her in amused comfort.

"But he's just a baby…" she murmurs hopelessly and Killian chuckles as he moves a hand around to caress her stomach.

"No, this is a baby, darling. Henry is nearly a grown man of nineteen."

Emma tries to smile but her sad expression ruins it.

"Love, you should be incredibly proud of the man that your son has grown to be and the excellent role model he has become to his brother and the rest of the horde of Storybrooke toddlers."

Emma concedes and droops in Killian's arms.

"I know." She says miserably before she glances up into his eyes with a devilish glint.

"I wonder if you will be so understanding when it's _her_ turn to move in with someone." She says with a hand over her stomach and a smile at Killian's stunned expression.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Regina opens the door to greet Emma and Killian with a one-armed hug as she accepts a tray of cupcakes from Emma. Tosh barrels between his parents and hugs 'Auntie Gina' around the legs for half a second before heading off in search of Roland and Robin.

Killian helps Emma get her coat off and then heads off to chase his son as Emma peeks around Regina to see Nemo standing in the lounge room with a drink in his hand. He catches the women's gaze and lifts his glass in salute just as Killian finds him and offers a greeting.

Emma leans in towards Regina with a curious smirk.

"So, what is going on here?" she asks the queen and Regina ducks her head to hide her blush.

"It's… new. Is what it is." She evades and then ducks her head and walks off towards the kitchen with the cupcakes.

Emma waddles into the lounge room to find most of the family already there. David is helping Snow set up the food on the dining table while Neal and Tosh chase Roland and Robin through the house. Zelena waves at Emma from across the room where she is decorating a massive Christmas tree with magical snow, drifting all around it. Her mother hurries over to take Emma's arm when she spots her and helps her very pregnant daughter to lower herself to the couch as the door opens again and Emma hears Belle's voice ringing out a 'Merry Christmas' as Hope runs past her and into the fray of cousins to join in the chaos.

Emma turns (as far as she can) and sees Wil Scarlet enter just behind Belle and smile at his girlfriend before yelling after Hope to be careful and slow down.

Belle makes her way to the kitchen to deposit another tray of food before coming over to sit beside Emma and chat to her about Emma's rapidly approaching due date. Wil smiles and blows a kiss to Belle from where he stands with Killian and Nemo and Emma watches the blush rise in her friend's cheeks.

David finally extricates himself from food detail to join the men for a drink only moments before a big crash sounds from upstairs and several wailing children send all the men sprinting up the staircase to investigate.

All the Moms in the house tense until Killian comes slowly down the stairs with a whimpering Tosh in his arms. The pirate carries his son over to Emma and smiles as he sits the boy next to his mother.

"What happened?" Emma asks, holding Tosh's green eyes, that are so similar to hers.

"RoRo not let me in!" He wails and Emma looks to Killian for clarification.

"Roland and Robin shut the door on him and barred entrance to their room." He says, putting an arm around the tiny boy's shoulders to comfort him.

Suddenly, Regina and Zelena appear with matching stern expressions.

"Roland did what?" Regina asks with a raised brow of warning and Zelena waits at her shoulder, hands on hips.

Killian turns to the ladies and explains, after which, both women walk calmly to the bottom of the staircase and Regina yells up in her most commanding 'Queen' voice, sending shivers down a few spines.

"Roland and Robin, you get down here and apologise to Tosh right now!"

The two kids are just trudging down the stairs with looks of dreary resignation, when the front door opens and Henry and Violet walk through, stomping the snow from their boots.

"HENRYYYY!" Roland shouts and Robin joins in as they fly down the rest of the stairs towards him. Tosh comes barrelling around the corner after hearing his brother's name and launches himself into Henry's arms. Hope and Neal appear from nowhere and pile on, almost knocking a laughing Henry to the ground as Violet stands behind him laughing as she takes off her coat.

After a few rounds of tight hugs and promises to play with them all soon, Henry makes his way over to Regina and hugs her tight.

"Hey Mom. Merry Christmas."

"I've missed you, Henry." She says with a watery smile before turning to welcome Violet as well and take her coat.

Henry makes his way over to Emma just as she is starting to rise off the couch and he stoops to help Killian as he tries to keep her from rising off the couch.

"Oh, don't get up, Mom." He says with a laugh and leans down to hug her awkwardly around her baby belly.

Emma can't stop the tears from falling as she hugs her eldest son and marvels at how grown-up he seems.

"Sorry. I can't seem to stop crying these days." She says as an explanation and Henry just smiles at his Mother and then grins at Killian.

"Can't be long now, then." He says with another pat on Emma's stomach and she gives a watery giggle.

Regina announces the beginning of dinner and the adults divide up to hunt down their children and get them sitting at the massive dinner table.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

After everyone has stuffed themselves to the point of moaning, and moved away from the table, Killian looks around at his family from the kitchen and smiles to himself. A few of the toddlers have passed out in front of the mesmerizing, magical Christmas tree and the others have a pile of Lego spread out between them on the rug in front of the fireplace and are concentrating on building the best castle they can.

Emma, Regina, Zelena, Snow and Belle are all sitting around the kids in the lounge, chatting and laughing, and Killian turns back to help David, Nemo and Wil finish up the dishes.

Dishes done, Wil grins and hands him a glass of rum and Killian raises a toast towards his mates.

"Here's to our family, gents… and however they are all related." He adds with a chuckle and the others join in as they take a drink from their glasses.

Killian barely gets a swallow of rum down his throat before he hears a very ominous moan from the other room. His body tenses and he shoves his glass into David's hand before spinning to scan the lounge room.

Killian sees Emma, bent over, clutching her stomach and he bounds the few steps between them to drop to his knees in front of her.

"Emma, Love, is it time?" he asks with wild eyes and Emma looks up at him through a pained expression.

"I think it might be." She says through clenched teeth and Killian grins a dopey smile.

"Well, let's get you to the hospital and meet the newest member of this complicated family, darling."

Regina, while looking uncomfortably at Emma, chimes in.

"Tosh can stay here with Roland and Robin tonight. Good luck and congratulations, you two!" she says as Killian and Henry help Emma towards the door.

Emma pauses her slow movements and after a moment of cringing and stifled groans, she smiles back at Regina.

"Thanks. See you on the other side." And then motioning at the toddler passed out under the Christmas tree, Emma adds to Henry.

"Make sure your brother behaves for your Mom, please."

Henry grins, wraps Emma in her coat, gives her a quick kiss on the cheek and Killian a clap on the back as they head out the door towards the car.

"Don't worry about it. Just concentrate on bringing my baby sister into the world, Mom."

Emma smiles at Henry before cringing again and a worried look crosses Killian's face.

"We really should be off to the hospital." He says and tries to get Emma moving a bit faster towards the car.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

 _Storybrooke Hospital, Maternity Ward, Three Hours Later_

"Welcome to our crazy family, Riley." Emma coos to the tiny baby girl in her arms.

Killian leans in close from his place beside the hospital bed and encircles both mother and daughter in his arms with a sweet smile.

"Welcome indeed, little one." He says with a kiss to her tiny, downy head.

Emma and Killian knew that the entire family would show up at the hospital tomorrow morning with gifts and cuddles for their newest member, but for now, they would enjoy the sweet quiet of their first few hours with their daughter.

Their latest adventure had begun.


End file.
